Baile Siochanta
by Natsgirl
Summary: Sookie Stackhouse is a young woman who's grown up all over the United States, her family moving under somewhat mysterious circumstances. She knows there's something different about her, but she guards her secret until she finds another who might be like her. Sookie will find her path takes her from the United States to Ireland as she discovers who she is and where her heart lies.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue – A Simple Life**

They moved to Pennsylvania after Daddy changed jobs again. It was hard leaving Indiana. In the three years they lived there, Sookie made friends. There were girls who came to her house and houses she visited in return. There were girls she liked and girls she didn't like so much. There were girls who played with her after school and who called out her name as she walked by. She was chosen for teams and Sookie had friends who passed her notes and included her in jokes.

The places where they lived before, Massachusetts and California and Wisconsin, Sookie hadn't made real friends. She had one, maybe two girls she played with, but it was different. Sometimes that girl already had a best friend, or sometimes she spent most of her time with her cousins. When Sookie was included it was because she was convenient, not because she was anyone's special friend.

When her parents called her and her brother, Jason, together after dinner, they knew right away what was coming, so Sookie ran into her bedroom and locked her door.

It always started the same way. Daddy would come home looking worried. He and Mama would talk in quiet voices, stopping whenever Jason or Sookie came close. Daddy would spend hours staring out the window, night after night, his face drawn, almost as though he was looking for someone. Then, one day, Daddy wouldn't go to work at all. When he started to leave on Sundays and not return home for days, or sometimes weeks, they knew he was looking for a new job, which would mean a 'new life' for them. Sometimes he would spend months only coming home for days at a time, but sometimes he didn't take so long to find them a new place. Sookie's Mother explained that she and Sookie's Daddy had a deal. Daddy agreed that whenever it was possible, he would let them stay where they were to finish their school year, even if it meant he couldn't stay with them. Sookie hated having to move, but she hated missing Daddy most. Mama would become sadder and sadder, and then, around April, the packing would start. Sookie learned to hate summers.

"Sookie?" her Daddy called from the hallway. "Sookie, open the door and let me in."

"Why?" Sookie could feel her heart breaking. They would move far away and she would never see her friends again. Her mother would tell her she would make new friends as if replacing people was as easy as changing your shoes. She would leave this place where she had made happy memories. She would leave the church she had come to love, and the teachers she trusted. She would never again see the swans in the park along the river, or the swings where she and her friends played and told secrets.

"You'll see," her Daddy called through the door, "Pennsylvania is a wonderful place! I've found us a beautiful house in a neighborhood full of kids. Our backyard goes right into the schoolyard. You'll never have to look around for friends. There they'll all be!"

Sookie opened her door and Daddy came in, sitting on the edge of her bed. Even though he was her Father, Sookie knew her Daddy was handsome. His features were chiseled and his gold hair was thick and curly. When he smiled, people stared, and Sookie's Mama hung on Daddy's every word. "It won't be bad, Peanut," Daddy said sympathetically. "Besides, we'll be together, and that's what counts."

When Sookie didn't look convinced, Daddy drew a deep breath through his nose, held his hand out flat, and blew out through his mouth. The Will 'o the Wisp that formed in his palm was nearly perfect. It drew the light and colors from all the things in Sookie's room. As it started to twirl and then bend from side to side, Sookie couldn't stop her giggle. She held out her own hand and, with just a little effort, formed her own miniature funnel of light and color. It wasn't as well-shaped as Daddy's, but Sookie had learned to make hers dance, too, and the two of them played this game that was just theirs, sending their creations to dance on the dresser and then to twirl on the shelf near Sookie's horse statues. Jason couldn't make Will 'o the Wisps, and neither could Mama. Daddy told her it was their shared gift, and Sookie started to feel better. It was inevitable. Just sitting near Daddy felt wonderful, and when they played like this, it made the glowing feeling Sookie had inside grow.

Even though she knew she shouldn't, Sookie glanced in the mirror. The first time she saw Daddy's reflection with his sharp features and pointed ears, she'd been startled, but now it was comforting, because if she looked hard, Sookie knew her own eyes tilted and her ears matched his. It wasn't something she could see all the time, and when she mentioned it, her Mother scolded her for being silly. "It's our secret," her Daddy told her later, and Sookie agreed to keep it between them.

"Why Pennsylvania?" Sookie asked after a bit.

"Because it's a beautiful place," her Daddy replied, "and we'll be safe there."

"We're not safe here?" Sookie asked, and her brows drew together. It hadn't occurred to her that there was more about this moving than Daddy's restlessness.

"I don't know why I said that," her Daddy laughed. "It's a great place and you'll fit in right away."

Sookie smiled, but something deep within her knew she wouldn't fit right in and she was right. Sookie was starting sixth grade, so she didn't get to attend the elementary school located right behind their house. Instead, she was enrolled in the middle school that was across town and a long bus ride away.

Her parents decided Sookie wouldn't attend Catholic school this time either. "You'll be in public school this year!" her mother announced as if that was a wonderful thing. "You'll be able to wear whatever you want. No more uniforms!"

At first, Sookie was excited. She thought no uniforms was a wonderful thing, too, but after the first day at school, she knew she was wrong. The clothes she'd bought at Sears seemed fashionable, but they weren't. Girls here wore different colors and knee socks, not ankle socks. Their hair was long and they turned toward her with speculative, hard eyes. "It will just take a little while for them to warm up to you," her Mother assured her, but that had proved to be a lie, too. If anything, the feeling of being an unwelcome outsider solidified. No one would sit with Sookie on the bus and the teacher moved her chair to the back row, so the others would stop kicking her.

While Sookie told her troubles to her Mother, it didn't help. Unlike the other moves, Daddy disappeared almost as soon as they settled into the house, and his absences were like a great hole in their lives. When he did come home, it was unexpected, and he joked it was like living Christmas all the time. "I am traveling for work," he told Jason and Sookie. "My work takes me all kinds of interesting places," but when Jason pushed for details, Daddy, who had a story and joke for every occasion, seemed at a loss for words.

To fill the silent hours between homework and sleep, Sookie discovered the woods that surrounded the school in the back of her house. Every free minute when she wasn't helping her mother or studying to make her parents proud, Sookie was running under the canopy of trees. For the first time, Sookie's mother didn't warn her about strangers. Instead, Mama encouraged Sookie to spend time outside and Sookie found that in the dappled light of trees and the miracle of glens filled with violets she felt less lonely. Sitting under the filtered light on the forest floor, Sookie made her Will 'o the Wisps, sending them flying from tree to flower. One time, when she brought her little toy back to her hand, a small bird followed, and from that day forward, the bird would perch near her, singing in its happy way. There were other things that just came to her as well, how to make flowers sing and how to make the tree trunks glow, showing the golden sap that flowed through them.

As the days became colder and night fell sooner, Sookie rediscovered the magic of books. Curled in a chair in the formal living room, Sookie buried herself in stories of romance and adventure. Mama was so distracted these days, Sookie was even able to bring books about love and sex into the house. In Indiana, Mama told Sookie these books were too old for her, but now, Mama didn't seem to care enough to notice.

It was early in October and a strange, warm wind had moved in during the night. Sookie rose early, just as the birds were starting to sing. The light outside her window was muted and the sky was mauve instead of blue. Sookie threw on the sundress that lay on the floor beside her bed and toed into her sneakers. She crept quietly down the stairs and eased her way out the back door. The back yard was a steep, sloping hill that made cutting grass almost dangerous. Sookie ran up the incline and then stopped. Her backyard ended in a steep hill that fell ten yards down into the flat space of the school playing fields, but today Sookie couldn't see the fenced baseball backstop or the low profile of the school beyond. The entire field was covered in thick fog. It was low to the ground, and Sookie found herself looking over the top of it. The fog rose in fingers, a living thing, and Sookie hesitated only a minute before scrambling down the hill and running into it.

She saw the moment the world disappeared behind her and Sookie experimented a few times, stepping in and then out of the wall of fog. With a quick smile, Sookie turned and walked into it, believing all the way to the soles of her feet that she was entering a magical place, all the more special because it was fragile.

For long minutes, Sookie played in the fog bank. When she looked around her, it was as if she was in a room made just for her. She could see the sun, pale and round, sailing above her. It didn't hurt to look at it through the fog, but she didn't stare long anyway, just in case. As she moved, the feeling of being in a special space in the fog moved with her and on a whim, Sookie piled up a few stones in a small cairn and walked away from them until them disappeared in the soft grey. When she tried to backtrack, she couldn't find them again. It should have made her uncomfortable, but, for Sookie, it only proved that she was in a wonderful place where anything was possible.

She could hear the birds, louder now. There were blue jays who nested in the trees that surrounded the fields and they battled the crows. Their calls sounded far away, and then Sookie heard something else. It sounded like music.

Turning, Sookie tried to follow the sound, but it was tricky. Sometimes it seemed to be in front of her, and sometimes it came from behind. It wasn't a tune she recognized, in fact, she would have had a hard time humming it at all. What she heard was more bits and pieces as if in a dream. Standing still, she closed her eyes and concentrated as hard as she could, turning her head. When she was sure she was pointed in the right direction, Sookie walked carefully forward, trusting her feet and the safety of flat ground of to keep her from falling until the sound was almost before her. And then the music stopped.

Sookie opened her eyes, and for a moment she thought she was looking at a tall man, but as quickly as she blinked, she was looking at a blond boy her own height. "Who are you?" Sookie asked.

"Why are you here?" he asked in return.

"I was following the music," she told him.

"Oh," and he grinned, "That would explain it!" He was handsome and as he laughed, Sookie just knew he thought she was handsome, too. When Sookie took a step toward him, though, he stepped back. "You should head home now," he told her. "Your Father has come home and he'll be worrying about you."

"Will I see you in school tomorrow?" Sookie asked.

"I'm only visiting this time," the boy told her, "but don't worry. We'll see each other again." Before Sookie had a chance to ask anything else, the boy winked at her and, turning, disappeared into the fog bank so quickly Sookie barely had time to be startled.

When Sookie returned home, she found her mother singing in the kitchen. 'Where were you?" her Mother asked, then without waiting for an answer, called, "Corbett? She's here. She's fine!"

Daddy walked in and hugged Sookie. He hugged her hard and Sookie marveled at how good she felt just to be close to him, but then he pulled back and his face wasn't happy. "What's wrong?" Sookie asked.

"Nothing," Daddy assured her. He shook his head and pulled his easy smile into place again, "Nothing at all. I'm just being silly," and then he let her go and walked over to stand next to Mama, looking out the window toward the school and the fog. "Where were you?" he asked.

"There was fog on the playing fields," Sookie explained. "I was playing in it."

"I always liked playing in the fog when I was a girl," her mother replied, and she launched into a story about growing up on the farm in Minnesota. As Sookie stared out the window, she found she only listened with half an ear to her Mother. Instead, she thought about the strange boy she'd met in the fog. It seemed so unlikely, and as her Mother offered her breakfast, Sookie decided not to mention the boy at all. Daddy liked to tell Sookie that she was a dreamer, and now Sookie wondered if she had dreamed so hard that her imagination finally found a way to create something that she wanted.

In the stories Sookie read on cold evenings and rainy days, the heroine would find a way to reach other worlds. She would be able to meet the creatures who lived just beyond other people's range of vision, but if the heroine told others about what she saw, the spell was broken and she never saw those creatures again.

Sookie thought about the boy and the music. She wondered if what she'd seen was magic like the Will 'o the Wisps and the bird and the trees that glowed. Sookie glanced at her Mother and then Jason who wandered into the kitchen, yawning and hungry. Biting her lip, Sookie decided she'd wait until later to tell her Daddy about it. He would know what to say, and together they sat down to breakfast.

As the dishes were finished, Daddy announced he had an errand to run, but he'd be back in an hour. "Good," Sookie smiled at him. "I've missed you and I have so much to tell you!"

"I can't wait to hear all about it, Peanut," Daddy said. He squeezed Jason's shoulder, and Jason shrugged him off, like the teenager he was, and Daddy kissed Mama. Sookie remembered each moment, each gesture, a combination of memory and yearning, because in just a few hours, Daddy would be dead and their lives would never be the same again.


	2. Chapter 1 - Appearances

**Chapter 1 – Appearances**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

'Mainstreaming' seemed such a crass word for how the Fae lived. 'Hiding in plain sight,' was more accurate, but still, the description lacked a certain something.

In truth, the Fae weren't hiding at all. Many of them had lived this way for as long as they'd walked this world, and for most, that meant centuries. They owned businesses and openly moved among humans. Of course, they didn't point out what they were, or otherwise call attention to themselves. That would have been foolish.

Humans had their uses. They performed work and provided services that were valuable to the Gentry, as the Fae were sometimes called. Humans were their primary source of money, and if a Fae was clever, they could be the source of lots of money. Humans could be attractive and there remained a long tradition of taking human lovers. 'Taken by the Fae' was a favorite theme for romance novels and folklore. In the old days, the influence all that money bought kept officials from thinking too hard about the occasional abduction in other than a whimsical way. Now, with couples living openly without marriage, these liaisons were more often viewed as simple love affairs. When the Fae partner tired of their human, it was written off as a relationship that 'just didn't work out.' If the human seemed a little the worse for wear in the days that followed, pining and fading, no one thought anything amiss.

Rogan was fairly certain that the humans who lived in the town of Carrack, where his principal hotel was located, knew what he was. It was in the way they bowed their heads almost unconsciously as they passed him on the sidewalk, and how they stepped aside when he took his place in the queues at the stores. Here, in western Ireland, he and his people had never fully retreated into their forts, not since those dark days of the first Christians.

For Rogan and his family, 'business' meant running hotels. Their establishments hadn't always been so grand. The first houses Rogan bought were roadside public houses with taverns on the first floor and rooms for hire above. Now, Rogan Brigant had a dozen historic buildings under his name, most filled to capacity. Rogan could have bought more modern establishments, or built newer places filled with every luxury and technological advancement, but Rogan preferred smaller, older places that lacked some amenities, but made up it with charm and old-world ways.

That was one of the many advantages of being Fae. Humans were attracted to you, regardless of your appearance. It was why the Fae did so well in the entertainment and hospitality industries. Even though they couldn't explain it, humans were just a little more inclined to choose your business over your non-Fae competitors. They would tell their friends how charming you were, or how exceptional the service was, 'almost like magic.' Some Fae were tempted by greed, using their musical talent or force of personality to become more well-known, attracting more money, but Rogan knew that was the road to disaster. Inevitably, there would be a miscue, or some human would dig too deep for backgrounds that didn't exist. There would be an investigation or a scandal, and money would be wasted to hush things up, quickly followed by punishments from their own kind for endangering them.

It was this need for secrecy that led to one of the challenges of being a popular destination. Customers returned over and over, often spanning their lives and the lives of their children. It wasn't unusual for Rogan to watch a human travel from bright-eyed youth to old and bent, while for Rogan, he never changed. No Fae did.

The timelessness of a Fae's existence living among changeable humans was managed through glamour. Masquerade was just another part of existence for any Fae and, for most, the simple act of pulling a persona over one's features was enough to stave off boredom. You wore that persona, changing the face in subtle ways to simulate the process of aging. Perhaps you added a wrinkle or two, or ruddy cheeks. In all cases, you remained attractive, and when a reasonable time passed, or you became too bored with the personality you assumed, you arranged a quick death, enjoyed your own funeral, and appeared shortly after in your new body and new face.

The Fae did best when they remembered that this world was not their only world, and Rogan daily reminded his son and all who owed fealty to him of that fact.

Rogan wasn't merely a Fae. Rogan was a King and he took his responsibilities seriously. Rogan ruled most of the northwest coast of the island and his only child, Breandan, would rule when Rogan decided to step aside or was struck down by an enemy.

Rogan wondered what his guests would think if they could see the true man who hid behind the fussy exterior. He watched their appreciative eyes as he ruled the reception desk, stalking behind his clerks, critiquing work, and praising service well done. Rogan made a show of personally greeting those who spent more money, subtly encouraging those who watched to try to earn the same attention. He wondered if their fawning would change to alarm if they could see the sword hanging at his side. Of course, Rogan and his Fae weren't currently at war, but displaying the weapon for those who could see served as a deterrent. While the Fae could and did use guns against their foes, swords like the one Rogan carried with its heart of pure iron, remained their preferred weapon. The death that came from a Fae sword was swift and certain. Gunshots had an unfortunate habit of healing.

Rogan knew most humans assumed things as they watched him gliding through his paneled and marbled lobby, or delicately lifting his glass of mead wine. He was certain that none of those assumptions included engaging in mortal combat.

Rogan's persona this time was Charles Brigant, a stylish fop most assumed was gay. It allowed Rogan to indulge his love of rich food and luxury. Rogan had inhabited this persona for many years, and he mellowed his look to include greying hair and laugh lines that crinkled when he smiled. What he didn't bother to hide was the taut strength of his body, which was enjoyable when he chose to indulge in a bed companion. Rogan preferred the skill of a Fae lover, but from time to time he would indulge in the harsher, more immediate thrill of human bodies. With the steady flow of customers, and the way his suits hung, there was always a ready choice.

While Rogan might appear to be an aging businessman, his reality was one of quick battles and long, vicious wars. Insults among the Fae were never forgotten and bad blood, once gained, lingered for a lifetime, which for a Fae was forever. Rogan might smile, but his desire for revenge ran deep.

Rogan's principal enemy was his own brother, Niall Brigant. Niall and Rogan hadn't always been at war. In their youth, which was many ages of men in the past, they had been close, despite their opposite natures. Rogan was a child of the water kingdoms. He enjoyed the ponds and streams, the lakes and oceans of Ireland. He easily slipped into the guise of a seal to journey to distant islands and remote places. Diving through the waves brought him his greatest joy and he remained close with the Selkies, the seal Fae, whom he considered to be under his protection.

Niall, who was the older Brigant brother by a matter of minutes, preferred light and air. In his youth, Niall spent his time playing with light and weaving fantasies of wind and color. Rogan never saw the point of it but, over time, it started to occur to Rogan that Niall's easy way seemed to attract more luck than Rogan's more serious nature and that sowed the first seeds of discord between the brothers.

It was in the way humans were drawn to him. Niall enjoyed laughter and pranks. Rogan enjoyed tricks as well. Playing tricks on humans was part of their very nature, but Rogan's sense of humor demanded there be some pratfall or that the human involved be made to look foolish. Niall's did not. Niall seemed wholly satisfied when the trick resulted in nothing more than a sense of surprise or astonishment. The aftermath was that Niall often retained the friendship and good graces of those around him. Rogan rarely did.

What was more damning in Rogan's eyes was that Niall seemed to genuinely enjoy the company of humans. He didn't hold them at arm's length as any self-respecting Fae should. He spent time with them, actually taking them as friends. He gamed with them, and brought them with him when he hunted. Niall befriended the lesser Fae as well, including those of the Unseelie, the solitary Fae whose natures were so different from their own.

While Rogan's kingdom stretched north, Niall's encompassed the southwestern part of the island. There were many more settlements and towns in Niall's lands, the result of natural harbors where travelers were able to find shelter. Niall settled his main stronghold just outside one of the oldest towns, and all seemed to go well. It was a time when humans were still few in this land. They huddled behind their walls, hugging the shores of the sea and the Fae trooped and marched over the rest of the island. Each race knew its place and there was peace.

It was in these happy days that the twins' Father decided to arrange marriages for his sons. The kingdom was one, taking up the whole of the west coast, but their Father determined to divide it equally. He chose south for Niall, pointing out his son's love of light, and the north for Rogan, so he could be closer to the seals and the wild sea he loved.

For Rogan, his Father arranged for Aoife. She was a princess whose father ruled a kingdom to the east of Rogan's lands. Aoife was willowy, her brown hair a revelation, her soft eyes almost golden in the sun. Her family name was older than Brigant and wreathed in stories of honor. Rogan basked in the admiration others gave him to have such a woman standing at his side.

In spite of her being Fae and not having been asked whether she would agree, Aoife was warm toward him, and Rogan found himself falling deeply and inexplicably in love with her. It was almost embarrassing how even her smallest request was something Rogan felt compelled to provide, but Aoife never made him feel foolish for it. In fact, she acted as if being with him was her own greatest achievement. Rogan adored her, and when she gave him Breandan, he felt his life could never be better than it was at that moment, for children were not common among the Fae.

No one knew why the Fae lost their ability to procreate. Some said it wasn't lost, just that nature understood the need for balance in all things and since the Fae lived forever, children only came when a Fae was lost through war or some other calamity. Others blamed it on the emergence of men. They said that these lesser creatures subtly altered the air and water around them, poisoning this world for the Fae and rendering them barren. The only thing that was certain was that fertility levels dropped and having children was considered a mark of true blessing. A Fae capable of producing children was set above the others, and Breandan's existence marked Rogan and Aoife as special, even beyond their royalty.

Niall's marriage was also arranged. His Father had been looking for another princess, but Queen Branna approached him, asking that she be considered. Normally, a Fae Queen would only seek a spouse from among the lesser Fae, but Branna convinced their Father that it was in their best interest to align their kingdoms, extending their territory to include much of the southern shores. Niall expressed his doubts, but the lure of money and land was too much, and the bargain was struck. Only afterward did it come to light that Branna and her Father had spent her kingdom into near ruin with frivolous extravagances. Niall might have protested, demanding Branna be set aside, but he didn't. Instead, he took on the responsibilities of rebuilding and consolidating their lands. If he did resent the Branna's deception, he never said it where others would hear. The only clue of what this cost him was that Niall was never as sunny or carefree as he once had been.

As for Branna, she declared herself well pleased with Niall, and for awhile the face she showed her consort and her people was congenial. She was a beautiful woman and when she chose, she could charm those around her. What Rogan realized later was that Branna had watched both brothers and she believed that Niall, with his easy-going nature would soon fall under her spell, allowing her to rule in his name. In the lives of Fae, Branna's realization that she was mistaken came soon, but in the years of men, it was many ages. For those humans who knew Niall, Branna seemed the perfect Queen. She was glorious and proud, and if there were glimpses of coldness and cruelty, it was dismissed as her Fae nature.

Like Aoife, Branna delivered Niall a son, Dillon, but unlike Aoife, Branna's pregnancy took many ages to manifest. The boy's arrival was the cause of both relief and much celebration and the Fae all across Ireland marveled at the luck of the Brigants, that both Kings and their Queens had been blessed.

In appearance, Dillon favored his mother. He was dark-haired and blue-eyed. When he stood beside his cousin, Breandan, they could have been twins but for the color of their eyes. Where Dillon's eyes were the blue of deep ice, Breandan's were the soft brown of the seals. In all other ways, Dillon was his Father's son. Dillon was happy and bright, beloved by all who met him.

Dillon and Breandan became friends, spending time playing Hurley and adventuring in the way young people do. Their families often visited in those days, riding with their retinues in long, glowing lines that paraded silently through the landscape, striking all who saw them dumb in amazement.

While their Courts were glittering, Rogan could see that all was not well between Niall and Branna. There had been moments over the ages when Rogan had felt himself jealous of his brother, Niall's kingdom was now the larger, and the problems had been settled, but as he watched the haughty Queen dismiss his brother, parading her lovers, Rogan felt his jealousy slip away. Instead, pride reared its head and Rogan found himself adding his own cutting remarks to Branna's. Aoife scolded him. As she often did, his wife reminded him of those best instincts within him. She encouraged him to be kind in his victory and things settled. The visits became less frequent, but basking in his sure knowledge that he had the better end of the deal, Rogan settled into the business of being a fair Fae King.

It was a golden time for the Fae, but like every idyllic moment, it was inevitable that things would change, and change they did when the Christians came.

While this newfound religion signaled the start of the golden age for humans, it signaled death and destruction for the Fae. Already, men had multiplied such that their settlements overran the fairy kingdoms. The Gentry found themselves crowded from their lands, human farms seeming to spring up almost overnight. The game started to disappear, and in each town the humans built, moving further and further from the coast, a church was erected with its bell and its hard-faced priest spouting rules about what needed to be done to those who didn't believe in their Christ.

Humans still feared the Fae, but that fear was no longer mixed with reverence. More often than not, it was now fear mixed with rage. Fae were hunted down and killed and, while the kingdoms fought back, there was little they could do. The humans surrounding them were too many.

Faced with annihilation, the Brigant brothers, along with all their kind who survived these terrible days, retreated deep underground into their strongholds and pulled their glamour around them, hiding their homes from searching eyes. Below the ground, removed from the comfort of sun and soft moon, the Fae lived in their halls, watching the doors with sad eyes, and awaiting the day that humans would forget about them and they could re-emerge.

The years passed. Scouts were regularly sent into the world above and they returned with reports of wars and pestilence. Invaders from foreign lands swept across the land, one set of angry humans replaced by another, but still, the strength and prejudice of the Christian faith remained. The Fae were declared enemies of the humans. They were portrayed as demons and devils. The stories of their true lives faded, but it turned out the memories of priests were long. Finally, after many ages, came the British.

These newest 'civilizers' believed in the Christ, too, but their faith was different. It wasn't aimed at the Fae and other 'nonbelievers.' Instead, this new Christianity was aimed at other Christians, and for the first time, the Fae felt hope. The churches and their priests who had inspired the slaughter of the Fae were suppressed and the castles and abbeys of their enemies pulled down. It seemed the signal the Fae had awaited.

Rogan and Niall communicated first through messengers, and then in person. They discussed what they heard and agreed it was time to start bringing their people back into the world. It was a slow business, the Fae becoming travelers and tinkers, filtering into the towns and slowly, carefully, finding trades and occupations that suited them.

To the delight of all, it went well. No one was looking for the Fae anymore. The stories of their existence had changed. When people spoke of them, it was as whimsical creatures with wings and flowers. Humans had bigger problems now, and the Fae were emboldened to find ways to create a permanent place for themselves in the sun.

The first largescale success involved the making of spirits. There were many soldiers in Ireland now, and the brothers turned their people's talent at brewing to their advantage. Beers, wines, and whiskies were created. The quality was so superior that even the poorest person who could find a coin could forget their troubles in a mug of the Fae's ale. Soon the wagons of spirits with the sign of the Fae were seen moving over the roads of Ireland.

Rogan and Niall decided to build on that success by buying up the public houses that sat on highway crossroads, offering shelter to travelers. Aside from providing a place for people to buy their brews and a bed for the night, the pubs also offered a place to collect news. The brothers were determined to safeguard their people and nothing moved faster than secrets from tongues loosened with Fae beer.

It was a great age of people moving from one part of the country to another, following the soldiers and the trade they brought and, in no time, the brothers were making more money than either could remember, and securing a place for themselves and their followers in this new world order.

While the coming of the English opened the door for the Fae's return, there were other aspects of the invasion that presented a high price. The soldiers suppressed more than the fiery-eyed priests. They prohibited any from speaking the language of their people, insisting that all learn the English tongue. The Fae quickly learned there were penalties to their speaking Gaelic and they learned to shape their mouths around the words of these newest invaders, but they were the Fae. It was a simple trick to continue speaking in the purest Gaelic and use glamour to make the words appear otherwise.

What was harder, though, was that the music and the dances of their people were outlawed, too.

These English weren't content with conquering the land; they had to destroy the culture, wanting none to remember what life had been before their arrival. Soldiers confiscated any musical instruments they found and punished those who danced in the circles, their upper bodies stiff as their feet tapped, threading the steps that had welcomed the turn of seasons for ages untold.

Music, for the Fae, was like breathing air, and dancing like drinking water. It wasn't possible for any to survive long without either. Rogan watched Aoife grow sad and drawn as her days stretched without the relief of song. Finally, he could stand it no longer. On the next moonlit night, the Fae traveled back to their stronghold and there in the lee of the hill, protected by their shield wall, they danced.

It became a signal between them. They waited for the first crescent, and then for the full moon. They passed signs among their people, waiting for the nights they would gather again to sing and feast.

Niall warned Rogan. He told his brother of the great hordes of humans moving across the south, cutting trees to feed the navies of the English. He told Rogan it was foolhardy to think this defiance would go unnoticed, but Rogan looked at Aoife's happy face and dismissed his brother. In truth, denying his brother was as much about the old jealousy as doubt.

When Niall's clan had emerged from their underground forts, it was with more happy news. Dillon, the King's son, had mated and his lady wife provided him not one, but three children. He had two daughters now, and a son. They had grown tall in the ages they passed underground hidden away from the sun. They were dark haired, like their Father, and blue-eyed as well. His wife named them to honor her family, Claude, Claudine, and Claudia. The only thing that allowed Rogan to greet them without grinding his teeth was that their Mother had passed in bearing them and Dillon had taken a vow to have no other wife. It was unlikely that Niall's family would see any more children and that gave Rogan some consolation.

Rogan's own son, Breandan, had shown little interest in taking a wife. He played with lovers, both men and women, but there was no one who called to him. When Rogan brought up the subject, Aoife scolded, telling her husband there was time. Rogan's head agreed, even if his pride did not, and so Breandan continued to live as he pleased, running one or another of the public houses roaming with his second cousin, Claude.

It was a fine, soft night that saw Aoife struck down.

The moon was full and Rogan's Queen had taken her retinue to her favorite place up on a hill. The survivors told Rogan afterward how happy his Queen was, her feet moving in quick rhythm, her hair bouncing on her shoulders, just before the rifles opened fire. Before the Fae could react, the soldiers were among them, striking them down with iron swords and lead musket balls. Aoife fell in the first wave. Her people fell around her.

Rogan never discovered who had informed, but it was clear someone had told the English that his Queen and her people would be on the hill that night. The soldiers were lying just behind the ridge, waiting. Everything happened so quickly, there was no time for the Fae to conjure fog or send shades to distract their attackers. There were only a few who escaped and the rest were left broken on the ground. The soldiers must have figured out that something was amiss because all too soon the bodies around them turned to dust. Although they had been told not to talk, they were soldiers. The stories of that night soon filtered through the countryside. 'You're cursed,' the country folk told the British, and Rogan made certain of it.

It didn't take long to find out who had been involved and Rogan was terrible in his grief. He blamed not only the captain and his ten men, but every man who wore the uniform. Where once Rogan viewed the British as his friends, or at least enemies of his enemy, Rogan now saw them as his mortal foes and he single-handedly started to visit death on them. Some he trapped as they walked alone, and when orders were given to only travel in pairs, Rogan began visiting them as they slept.

Rogan pulled images from their Christian stories, transforming himself into great horned devils and tall, dark demons. He appeared beside beds and near latrines at night, wielding a great knife, stalking them with red, glowing eyes. The countryside was terrorized and Rogan reveled in their fear. When they started introducing more safeguards, Rogan recruited Breandan. The harder it was to trap a soldier, the more Rogan made him suffer. Rogan found delight in listening to their crying and begging, and he encouraged his son to find the same.

While the local people called it a curse, the British High Command did not. There was a great call to find the killer who was plaguing the country to the north. Round-ups of suspicious humans started. When bullying and mistreatment yielded stories of the Fae, the net for suspects grew wider. Soon, not even glamour could distract the British from arresting and questioning Fae. It didn't stop Rogan.

Breandan pleaded with his Father, asking that he consider the attention he was attracting. Rogan was unmoved.

As the manhunt and reprisals moved south, Niall came north. He rode at the head of his retinue, determined to force Rogan to stop.

Rogan was warned, and he gathered his own forces, meeting Niall in the dead of night, fighting on the grounds of the old stronghold where Niall and his host had taken shelter. Niall dug in and the campaign began. It was a traditional Fae war. There were battles fought until first blood was drawn. There were challenges issued by champions followed by threats and insults. Business suffered as the Kings remained locked in their war.

In violation of all formal rules, Rogan woke one morning to find his brother standing over his bed. Niall seized Rogan and took him, under guard, as his 'guest.' "Your grief has sickened you, Brother," Niall told him. Niall asked Breandan to watch over his Father's kingdom. "When his grief has expired, he will return," Niall promised.

For close to fifty years, Niall kept Rogan a prisoner. Every day he came and spent time with his brother. Some days they walked under the sun followed by guards, and other days Niall joined Rogan in the form of a seal, slipping through the waves. Niall reminded Rogan of stories of their youth, and he reminded Rogan of the kindness of Aoife. As the years passed, Rogan felt the heat of his grief falter. The cold hard edge of vengeance remained, but Rogan learned to hide it well.

Finally, one day, Niall came to Rogan and told him the last of the British soldiers who had been alive in those days was dead. "There is no one left who could have hurt her," Niall told Rogan. "You need to bury your hatred and return to your people."

"You denied me my vengeance," Rogan sighed.

"I saved you," Niall pointed out. "Your vengeance was leading danger to your door. It would have been the dark days of the Christians, only worse. Those invaders would not have stopped until all your folk were gone. You have seen how they seek to kill the spirit of the humans here. They will not be satisfied until all are as them, and we never will be. Aoife never would have wished that."

"You are right," Rogan told him, remembering to hang his head. Rogan knew he should have stopped then, remaining silent. His long exile was at an end, but he couldn't help himself. "I wonder, Brother," he said to Niall, "What you would have done had you ever truly loved."

"But I do," Niall said just as quickly. Rogan snorted, and Niall continued, "Not Branna, it's true." He looked away, as if embarrassed to be caught out, and they were boys again. "This woman I love? She's human," Niall confessed.

"Human?" Rogan almost laughed but caught himself. He could see it. Niall was serious. His mouth curved up at the thought of her and his eyes were far away. "I'm not talking about dalliances," Rogan scoffed, determined to test his Brother's resolve.

"Neither am I," Niall assured Rogan. "Her name is Adele. I wouldn't have believed it, but she is every bit as dear to me as your lady wife was to you. I understand your grief. I understand your need for vengeance. Were it her, I would feel the same," and Niall looked straight at Rogan, "and I would trust you, Brother, to rescue me from myself rather than allow my grief to destroy my people."

Rogan embraced Niall. He thanked his Brother, but Rogan didn't forget, or forgive.

Rogan learned to listen for particular stories. He sent messengers and traders south, each looking for clues. None were aware of Rogan's aim, and he took great care to make certain he appeared happy and content. Eventually, though, the identity and location of Adele Hale became known to him.

She was the natural daughter of a local girl and a soldier. She was renowned for her beauty and grace. It was said she had unnatural blessings and that luck followed her footsteps. Then came the story that Adele was with child. Rogan couldn't believe it. He sent another who returned with the same story and confirmation that the woman had married a golden stranger. Adele's husband was known to travel, but all agreed he was as beautiful as Adele, and Rogan knew that stranger was none other than Niall Brigant.

It was unbelievable. Niall had violated two cardinal rules. He married this woman according to Christian rites, something forbidden to the Fae, and he gave her the gift of a child. Fae might not be able to control their reproduction with other Fae, but giving humans offspring was a choice, and one that was considered disgraceful. This child would be a hybrid, a mongrel. It might have magic or not, but in all cases its very existence could create a crisis for the people of his kingdom. Their King's indulgence endangered his kingdom but Rogan never considered an intervention. Instead, Rogan considered his revenge.

Claude, Niall's grandson, was a regular visitor to Rogan's kingdom. As before, Claude and Breandan were often together. Rogan could see that the relationship between the men was more than flirtation, but love among Fae was fickle. Love today would turn to boredom in a century, and so Rogan focused on the opportunity their relationship created.

Rogan introduced the subject of Adele to Claude. He was patient. He fed small details and hints. Rogan knew Claude favored his Mother, and that this news would eventually filter to Branna. It was only a matter of time.

It took less than a month. Rogan knew because stories of Branna's rage traveled swiftly, carried by the new telephone service that linked the towns. Branna demanded the truth and, in his misery, Niall confessed everything. Then, to the astonishment of all, Niall refused to repudiate Adele. Instead, he declared his love for this woman in front of witnesses, and the Fae of Niall's kingdom took sides.

Branna's long-simmering hatred boiled over and she called for Niall's overthrow. Battle lines were drawn and Niall's own family split apart. Claude and Claudia followed their Mother. Dillon and Claudine sided with Niall. Fae borders closed and businesses shut down. The humans were too busy to notice anything amiss. Across the waters, there were battles of another kind. Great World Wars raged, and the shores of Ireland saw human invaders of many sorts, but for the Fae, only one War counted, the War of the Kin declared by Branna against Niall Brigant.

Breandan demanded to be released to go fight alongside his Lover, but Rogan refused him permission. "They may fight themselves to the death," Rogan told his son, "and we must be certain there is someone left to continue the name Brigant." Rogan knew his decision caused a rift to form between himself and his son, but Rogan held firm, telling Breandan, "Better to be angry than dead."

It was a Spring night when the final battle came. There were no courtesies this time, no champions named to represent the sides. The Fae trooped up the sides of the mountains far to the south and they fought in a way not seen since their world was new. Claudia was slain, and then Branna, and when the Queen fell, the support for her faction slipped away. No more would the haughty Queen's voice be heard, and one by one, the Fae lay down their weapons.

When Rogan heard Niall had emerged victorious, he was furious. It had all been for naught. In the end, his brother, his enemy had survived, and things would be as they had been. Rogan called for his truck and he headed south. He drove through the night, using the moon to guide him rather than headlights that might be spotted by soldiers or airplanes overhead. It took hours and hours, but finally, Rogan arrived at the path that led to the house where Adele was said to live. ' _If I take her, I will hold Niall's heart in my hand_ ,' Rogan thought.

He rushed up the pathway, intent on surprising her, but what he found was an empty house. Adele was gone and from the looks of things, had been for some time.

Rogan returned to his truck and drove on until he was at the hidden path that led to Niall's stronghold. He was sure that Niall would go to ground, gathering his people around him, using history and physical proximity to heal the divisions that had brought them so low. Rogan was right.

The guards recognized him and brought him to Niall. "Come to celebrate my victory?" Niall didn't bother to hide his suspicion.

"I am grateful to see you," Rogan bowed.

"Perhaps you would have been happier to see another sitting here," Niall observed.

"You are my brother," Rogan protested. "We are linked. No one comes before us or our people." Rogan bowed low again, and when he rose, he could see Niall still didn't believe him.

"Do you miss her?" Niall asked. It seemed odd that Niall asked about Aoife, and Rogan wondered If Niall knew of Rogan's earlier stop.

"The air is less sweet," Rogan replied. "And will you miss your woman?"

Niall never hesitated, "It will be as if a piece of me is gone forever."

Rogan nodded. In this, at least, they found common ground. Rogan remained with his brother for many years, trusting Breandan to watch over things in his absence. Rogan used his time with his brother productively. He advocated for Claude's release from prison and improved his relationship with Claudine. The brothers discussed how best to move their mutual interests into the world of technology and the peace that would inevitably follow the wars of men. Mostly, Rogan listened for any hint of where Niall had secreted Adele Hale, but if any knew, they didn't say.

Finally, Rogan headed home, but he sent out word to bring any whisper of a human woman with a half-Fae child to his ears. He knew it was only a matter of time.


	3. Chapter 2 - Day Starts

**Chapter 2 – Day Starts**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Sookie pulled the bags from the car trunk. The rooms she and her mother were renting were a little over a block away, and the only parking was in back of the stores on the main street. The weather was still fine, but Sookie could feel the nip of winter in the air. She hoped the car would behave once winter kicked in. Her mother had been so proud when Sookie had handed her the keys. It had taken summer jobs and odd jobs after school, too, but Sookie earned it all herself. It had hardly any rust and when the weather was good, it ran pretty well. The problems came when it was wet or cold. "Your car is like me," her Mother laughed. "It's a delicate flower!"

When they still had the little house west of Worcester, the one with the garage underneath, the car started easily. Now, the house was gone, sold to help pay Michele's medical bills. Corbett, Sookie's Father, died six years ago. He left his family with few debts but no will, and a bewildering stack of papers and term life policies. They had enough to bury him, but it left little else.

Michele decided they should move from Pennsylvania to Massachusetts. She told her children she had an aging Aunt living there who needed her help, and so the family packed and moved again. This time they found themselves crowded into a small set of rooms in the home of an old, unwell woman. It could have been terrible, but it wasn't. Sookie's Great Aunt was kind, if somewhat absent, and Sookie could see that the activity required to care for her Aunt kept her Mother from slipping further into depression.

Since her Father's death, anyone could see that Michele was fading. It seemed a strange word to use, but there seemed no other way to express it. Even when her Father had been living, Michele had been more interested in rotating within Corbett Stackhouse's orbit than taking care of her children, or even herself. From the time she was little, it was Sookie who often filled that gap. She became efficient at running the house and arranging the things her Mother needed to do from day to day to make their lives work.

Now, her Mother seemed to have found new purpose, and it was a godsend. Massachusetts gave them the breathing space they needed to figure things out, and slowly, things started to feel normal again.

Sookie had always bounced back strong after each move. She would take a deep breath and launch into the business of making a place for herself. In a rare compliment, her Mother observed, "You never let anything get you down."

Jason did not deal as well with moves. For some time, each move seemed to diminish Sookie's older brother. He graduated high school in Pennsylvania, but he seemed to get stuck. He worked in the supermarket, but didn't even glance at the college material Sookie brought home for him. When they moved to Massachusetts, Jason found a job in a local factory making cardboard boxes and resisted any suggestion that he could do more.

Sookie, on the other hand, scoured the Internet and library. She emailed her former teachers, soliciting recommendation letters, and soon she had scholarship offers to state colleges. While she could have gone to the larger school farther away, instead she chose the local branch for that college there in town. Everything seemed to be going well. Michele was more present and Sookie got along better with her Mother than she ever had before. Although her Mother had never said anything directly, Sookie had long suspected that her Mother resented her for being so close to her Father, but now, those resentments seemed long gone. If Sookie missed the secrets and games she only played with her Father, she took care to make sure she didn't show it.

Sookie's Great Aunt passed in her sleep one night. Sookie was finishing her freshman year in college and while she missed the older woman, she mostly worried that the lack of daily work would set her Mother back again. But that didn't happen. Michele just moved them into the rest of the house, which was now theirs, and their lives seemed to be in a better place. Then Jason walked in one night and announced he was done. "I'll be stuck here in this small town going nowhere for the rest of my life!" he yelled. He was angry, and Sookie knew that of the two of them, he had suffered the most from their rootlessness. "I want a future that's my own, where I can belong to something!" and Jason told them how he intended to get that dream for himself. He had joined the Navy. He was leaving first thing in the morning, and then he said things that broke their family. "I blame you," he told their Mother. "You could have put your foot down and made Dad stay in one place. You could have left him, but you didn't. You just dragged us all over hell and creation, and now look where we are!"

Sookie and Jason had never been particularly close. Her brother was only a year and half older than Sookie, but the years of enforced togetherness hadn't made them inseparable. It had the opposite effect. "You always favored Dad," he accused his Mother, and then turning to Sookie said, "And you did, too! You both let him do whatever he wanted. You never cared about me!" It was a bitter thing to say, and more so because Sookie felt the kernel of truth in it. Jason packed his bags and the next morning, he was gone.

That night Sookie lay in her bed and stared at her Father's picture. She thought about how sad all of this would have made him. Her Mother had not fought with Jason. She hadn't tried to hold her son and tell him he was wrong. As soon as he accused her of putting Corbett Stackhouse first, any fight had drained from her and Sookie knew it was because her Mother knew Jason's words were true.

Summer came, and then Fall. Sookie returned to school and while the house seemed almost too big now, things settled into another new normal but, in retrospect, Sookie realized it wasn't. Her Mother's disease had been coming on for some time, but Sookie hadn't recognized the signs. There were unexpected bursts of anger. Sookie would drop something, or not immediately move to do something her Mother asked of her, and her Mother would turn on her with a fury that left Sookie dazed. There were other things, too.

Her Mother became prone to an odd forgetfulness. One time she started to back up out of the garage, but forgot to put the garage door up first. Another time, she baked a chicken in the black, speckled roasting pan, but set the bird on the lid that she left inverted, then complained that she had to use foil over the bird because the lid was 'missing.'

Sookie wrote all those things off to stress and what she thought of as a general fading since Daddy's death. There were days her Mother was just who she had always been. She laughed and pointed out the sunny side of any situation. The lawn mower died? Well, it was late in the season anyway, and they should probably let the grass get a little longer before winter came in. The oil tank was empty? Thank goodness it happened now and not in the middle of winter! Besides, a little cold water was good for a person, and they'd have the money to fill it in just a week.

But, one day, when Sookie came home, she found her Mother sitting at the kitchen table. She was in her bathrobe staring at the wall in a fixed way. She didn't respond to Sookie and, finally, in a panic, Sookie called 911. On the way to the hospital, her Mother went into seizures and their new life began.

It was a long first night. Sookie followed the ambulance, and by the time she parked and ran into the emergency room, her mother was already being taken to Intensive Care. When she told the nurse they had no insurance, there was a great deal of lip-pursing and tut-tutting. Sookie knew this hospital was one of the ones required to provide services 'to the indigent,' as the brochure she was handed proclaimed. It stung. They weren't poor, just too poor to pay the high cost of medical insurance.

Sookie had to speak with another couple people, including a social worker, before she could follow her mother to the ICU. There were other people there and Sookie was sure that the strained, drained looks she saw on their faces was the same one she wore now. Every time a doctor or nurse came through the locked door, their faces all turned and looked at the same time. ' _Pavlov's dog_ ,' Sookie thought and she almost laughed. Four hours turned into five with no word. Finally, around midnight, a frazzled doctor pushed through the locked door and called her name. He sat beside her and asked, "You are her daughter?"

"Yes," Sookie nodded. "How is she?"

"We're not sure," he told her. "She's running a fever and we have her in quarantine. With the seizures, we're pretty sure she has brain swelling, but we're working so hard on controlling her fever that we haven't been able to get any decent scans." He scowled a little before looking her in the eye, and asking, "Are you in college?"

"I am," Sookie told him, "Sophomore year."

"Which school?" he asked, and when Sookie told him, he wrote down the name. Then he said, "I'd like you to go with one of the nurses and have some blood drawn. It's possible your mother had meningitis. There have been a couple cases reported, mostly college students."

"You think I could have given it to her?" Sookie felt her throat closing.

"If you had, you would already be really sick," the doctor told her. "No, I'm worried that if she has it, you may already be on your way. I'd just like to eliminate that possibility."

"Sure," Sookie sighed, "May I see her?"

"No," he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but there's just too much going on right now. It wouldn't be good for either of you." The doctor's belt buzzed and he grabbed his phone and read a message. "I'm sorry, I have to go. I'll send a nurse out in just a minute. Thank you for cooperating," and he took a quick look around at the other people sitting near her.

' _He was worried I may have infected everyone_ ,' Sookie thought as the nurse came through the door dressed in protective clothing. She handed Sookie a mask and gestured toward the hall. Sookie felt the eyes of the other people in the waiting area pressing against her and it made her hurry a little faster as she followed the nurse.

Within half an hour, Sookie was cleared and sitting back in the waiting area. It was nearly morning when a nurse came out to tell her she should head home. "It will be touch and go for a while. We have a lot of tests to run and she's still in pretty bad shape." Sookie suddenly felt very afraid. If her mother didn't recover, she'd really be alone, and the thought was overwhelming. The nurse leaned over and placed her hand over Sookie's clasped fists, "Go home. Get a shower and something to eat. Get some sleep. Call around lunch. We'll let you know if anything changes, but we still don't really know what's going on with her. Do you live far away?"

"Twenty minutes," Sookie mumbled.

"Plenty of time to get back here," the nurse told her. As Sookie stumbled toward the door, it struck her that the nurse was telling her that twenty minutes would be enough time to get back to tell her mother goodbye. When she got in her car, Sookie leaned against the steering wheel and cried, wiping her face on her sleeve, and not caring who saw her.

The house was just the way she'd left it. There were lights on and the front door was unlocked. Sookie walked through the house, turning off the lamps, and straightening things that had fallen on the floor while the ambulance crew maneuvered the stretcher into the house. Sookie poured herself a glass of water and then headed to the bathroom. She stood under the shower and let the hot water run over her as she screamed her frustration. When she walked into her room, she was sure she was too stressed to sleep.

Sookie lay on her bed watching the shadows her light threw on the ceiling. Turning, her eyes landed on her Father's picture and watching his silent eyes, she held out her hand and for the first time since he'd been killed, she summoned the light from around her, forming the whirling column to sit on her hand. She stared at it for a minute before she called the colors to weave into the little dervish, adding dimension and warmth to what she had created. "I miss you," Sookie told the dervish, wondering if somewhere her Father could hear her. With a quick breath, Sookie blew the small, twirling column to take a place on the table beside her bed. Sookie turned off the light and watched the sparks of phosphorescence allow her the column even in the dark. It comforted her, and slowly, her eyes closed and then closed again.

The next time her eyes opened, it was three in the afternoon. Sookie called the hospital in a panic, certain her Mother was sitting up, wondering why she was in a hospital all alone. The receptionist switched her to Intensive Care, though, and the nurse who answered assured Sookie that there had been no improvement. "She won't be able to see you," the nurse told her, and Sookie felt terrible for feeling so relieved.

Sookie was almost finished with her sophomore year and she spent time texting her professors. She was living at home to save money and she commuted with her temperamental car. Sookie's plan had been to become a teacher. She liked working with children and she had dreams of spending her summers traveling to distant lands. It seemed odd, but having moved so often, Sookie found the idea of staying in one place forever wasn't comfortable. If she taught, Sookie told her Mother, she could have the best of both worlds, a home for always and travel three months a year. They laughed, and although Sookie was pretty sure that on a teacher's pay she wouldn't be traveling far, it made her happy.

While her Mother's income and Sookie's hard work had qualified her for scholarships, there were still bills for books and fees. Like she always did, Sookie found a way to make up the difference by waiting tables at a local restaurant. After texting her professors and asking for homework, Sookie called her boss.

"I'm sorry," he told her when she explained what happened. Sookie felt grateful until he said, "So, how long do you think it will be before I can get you back on the schedule?" The way he said it made clear that if she didn't have an answer soon, she wouldn't be back on the schedule at all.

"I should know in the next couple days," Sookie told him, even though she had no way of knowing that.

Sitting at the kitchen table, for the first time Sookie considered the possibility that her problems might not have an answer, and that thought was overwhelming. Sookie, who had always found a way to make things work, could feel a wild panic beginning to take root and, taking a deep breath, she laid her hands palm-down on the table and said out loud, "Stop it! Think! What do you need to handle right now?" She looked around at the bills on the counter and the fruit that was going bad in the bowl. When she felt the panic begin edging at her again, she would make herself get up and do some little piece of housework. She emptied the dishwasher. She loaded the washing machine. She focused on the job and, when she finished, she took advantage of her temporarily clearer mind to consider her next move.

About an hour passed when she found herself staring at an old photograph of her Mother and her Aunt Linda. Sookie hadn't seen her Aunt Linda in over ten years. She knew her Mother called her sister from time to time, but her Aunt lived in Minnesota and there wasn't any money in the family to be traveling. Sookie knew she had cousins, but she hadn't seen any of them since she was a little girl. She wasn't sure she'd recognize if she walked past them on the street and, for a moment, Sookie thought of Jason, and his longing for a family and a stable place he could call home. She hoped her brother was happy and she looked at Linda's picture again.

Sookie located her Mother's address book on the counter near the house phone her Mother insisted on keeping. Neither of them received many calls on this line anymore, just sales calls and political advertisements, but Sookie picked it up now and called the number next to her Aunt Linda's name.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Linda flew in two nights later. Sookie drove into the city and was surprised when she recognized her Aunt so easily. When Sookie closed the trunk on her Aunt's suitcase, she was surprised again by her Aunt pulling her into a hug. It was awkward, being this close to a stranger, but then it was comforting. Sookie found herself really hugging this woman she had only known as a picture and a name like the long-lost relative she was.

"Have you been able to see her?" her Aunt asked.

Sookie nodded, "This morning. It wasn't long. They've been keeping her in a coma because of the swelling. She wasn't awake, but I was able to stand next to her and talk to her a little." Her mother had barely looked like herself. She was stretched out on a bed surrounded by machines and lights. Her hands were tied to the sides of the bed, so she wouldn't pull out the tube that was breathing for her. There was a bottle collecting urine that was set on the floor and the tube snaked up under the blanket. Sookie had stood beside her Mom, telling her about the teachers who were helpful and the ones who weren't. She stroked her Mother's bruised arm around the lines feeding her fluids and medicines. Never once did her Mother's eyes flicker, but the nurse told her that she was convinced that, even in comas, people could hear what you said. It made Sookie feel better.

"The doctor said they'll be taking her in for scans tonight. They've ruled out all kinds of things, so I guess that's good."

"What's left?" Aunt Linda asked.

"I don't know," Sookie confessed. "Guess they either don't want to get my hopes up or scare me to death, but they just say they don't want to speculate."

Aunt Linda turned to watch the traffic and Sookie saw the firm set of her lip, "Well, I like speculation!" her Aunt declared, and Sookie found herself looking at this woman with new eyes. She assumed anyone related to her Mom would be mild and polite, but the woman sitting next to her didn't look like either of those things, and she confirmed Sookie's growing suspicion after she added, "Fucking doctors and their insurance games! They just don't want to tell you something and then find out they're wrong. You leave it to me. They'll push you around because you're a young, pretty girl, but I've been around this before. I know how it goes and we'll get you some answers!"

"Do you want to go to the hospital?" Sookie asked.

"No, Sweetie," her Aunt replied, and when she turned toward her niece, the mild-mannered, kind woman who reminded Sookie of her Mom was back. "Let's go home and I'll see about making us a nice dinner. I'll bet you haven't had a home-cooked meal since this whole thing began."

Sookie bit her lips and tears started to crowd her vision. She gripped the steering wheel tighter and willed her emotions to go away, but she couldn't stop the slow, steady flow down her cheeks. Her nose started running, and Aunt Linda handed her a Kleenex. Sookie grabbed it and used it.

"You need me to drive, Honey?" Aunt Linda asked.

"No," Sookie stuttered, and then feeling her old strength return, said, "No, it's just so good to have you here," and Sookie knew that was true.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie found that life with Aunt Linda meant a lot of structure. There was a time to get up and a time to make the bed. There were rules about when to eat and what was considered proper food at every meal. The same fierce look Linda wore when she talked with the nurses and doctors at the hospital could be turned Sookie's way, if, for instance, Sookie lingered in bed past what was considered polite. Mostly, what Sookie felt was grateful.

Aunt Linda would get up and start coffee. She drank it strong and black, and Sookie wondered if that was part of her secret. Next, she'd get Sookie up. She insisted that Sookie go to school ("You only have two months left until the end of the year. Don't be silly! Your mother would be heartbroken if you didn't finish."). When it was time to leave the house, Sookie would go one way, and Aunt Linda would head over to the hospital.

Sookie would finish her morning classes and then check in with her Aunt. Linda found out that rounds were between ten and eleven o'clock every morning, and she made sure she was there, insisting on speaking with everyone; the nurses who were there the day before, the doctors who'd seen Sookie's Mother, and the social worker. Linda was fierce about getting detailed, minute information about the costs; what would be considered forgiven and what would still be owed. As the days crept by, the relatively small amount of what would be owed by the family grew.

Scans had been done, and Linda found out there was a suspicious spot. The doctors didn't want to speculate, but Linda was having none of it. A short list of possible diagnoses was provided, and Linda had to promise she wouldn't hold the doctors to any of them. Taking that list, Linda worked with the social worker to see if there were any agencies that might have other money, maybe even grant money available to help offset bills.

Linda had gone through something similar with her mother and then with her brother. Sookie vaguely remembered her Grandmother, but the woman had died when Sookie was very young, and she'd only seen her the once. Sookie had no recollection of her Uncle Joe at all, but both had long, lingering illnesses with extended hospital stays and it taught Linda things.

Today, when Sookie called in, her Aunt Linda asked, "Do you have many afternoon classes?"

"No," Sookie told her, "Only French at two."

"Good, then you should plan to come here right after. They are going to try to wake your Mother up, and I'll ask them to wait until this afternoon."

"I should come now," Sookie felt such a longing to see her Mother's eyes smiling at her again, and the thought of having to concentrate on nouns and verb conjugation was unimaginable.

"Don't be silly!" Linda scolded, not hiding the sharp edge from her voice. "It will be the first thing your Mother asks, whether you are going to school. You don't want to worry her!"

Somehow Sookie thought there might be other things on her Mother's mind, but she was also pretty sure there would be no arguing with her Aunt. Still, she rushed through her class, making obvious mistakes, and drove too fast on the way to the hospital. Aunt Linda was sitting outside the ICU unit having an animated discussion with a woman Sookie recognized as another person with a family member in ICU from their many shared hours in the visitors' lounge.

Linda stood up, hugged Sookie, and then walked over to pick up the phone that called the nurse's desk behind the locked door. She spoke briefly, then hung up, and turned back, "There! They'll call us in a couple minutes." Linda gave Sookie a once over in a way that made Sookie feel five all over again, and then said, "You look good."

It seemed forever, although it was less than an hour when the nurse came out and gestured. Sookie walked into the brightly lit area, following the nurse to where her Mother was resting. It wasn't always the same place. There seemed to be some hierarchy of patients, and as the days passed and her Mother became more stable, her bed was moved to places a little further from the busy nurse's station.

A nurse was injecting something into one of the lines that was hooked into her Mother's arm. When the nurse finished, she patted her Mother's shoulder, smiled briefly at Linda, and then at Sookie before she walked away. The nurse who brought them into the unit stayed. "Try speaking to her," she suggested.

Sookie walked up to the head of the bed. She placed her hand on her Mother's dirty hair and leaning over, called, "Mother? Mom? It's Sookie." For the first time, her Mother's eyelids flickered. She moaned a little, and Sookie said, "Don't try to talk. There's a tube in your mouth to help you breathe, but we're here, me and Aunt Linda."

Aunt Linda stepped forward and took one of her Mother's hands, "Hi, Michele. You sure have a way of pulling folks off the farm."

Her Mother's eyes closed as if she was sensitive to the light, and perhaps she was. "We won't keep her awake too long," the nurse told them. "She'll start to notice the tube more and most patients become agitated when they realized they're restrained, but this is a very good sign. We may be able to install a smaller tube tomorrow, and then she can stay awake."

"Did you hear that, Mom?" Sookie couldn't stop her tears, she was so grateful. Her Mother was getting better and once more, their lives would work out. Somehow things would be okay. "We can maybe talk tomorrow."

"She squeezed my hand," Linda was smiling through tears, too, and Sookie reached over to take her Aunt's hand in her own, a circle of touch from woman to woman in a bright and scary place.

The nurse with the injections came back and emptied another syringe into one of the lines that snaked into Sookie's Mother's body, and Sookie's mother seemed to drop back to sleep. As they walked out, the nurse said, "Why don't you both go home and get some rest? We won't have an answer about the breathing tube until after rounds tomorrow, but everything's looking good."

"When will they be running the follow-up tests?" Aunt Linda quizzed.

"We'll know tomorrow," the nurse repeated as she escorted them out of the ward.

"I think you should be here for rounds tomorrow," Linda told Sookie, surprising her as they walked to the garage. "You have any tests at school, anything you can't miss?"

"No," Sookie told her. "Just some homework I can drop off tonight in the teacher's mailbox. Tests start in two weeks."

"Then you should be here," Linda nodded.

"What do you think it is?" Sookie asked, afraid of the answer, yet more afraid now of not knowing.

"I think it's cancer," her Aunt told her. "All the other options are too far-fetched. There's no way your Mother was exposed to half the things or places she'd need to be to have the stuff they were dishing out! Nope," and she pulled the keys to her rental car from her purse, "I think it's plain old cancer, and folks know what to do about that!"

There was something in how she said it that made Sookie feel better, although there was nothing comforting about the thought of cancer.

The next morning, Sookie watched Aunt Linda grill each of the medical professionals who came through the door with a mixture of charm and persistence. They were familiar with her Aunt by now, and there was a kind of comradery as they answered her questions and gave more information than Sookie had received in past. They intended on taking her Mother into a more definitive scanning machine later this morning and thought they'd have confirmation of her diagnosis later today. "When she's awake?" Sookie asked.

"Oh," the doctor who was with them looked surprised, "They're planning on waking her up?"

When the doctor left, Aunt Linda just shook her head. "He's the pathologist," she said. "These specialists don't know what the other is doing. That's how I spend half my time. Once I talk to all of them, I head over to the nurse's station and make sure whoever is running the floor knows what each of those folks is planning to do and when."

"That's crazy!" Sookie told her.

"Makes me feel sorry for those folks here who don't have family to advocate for them," Linda said grimly.

Later that morning, a nurse came out to confirm that Michele had been taken for the scan. "Good news," Linda nodded. "Let's head out for some lunch and how about a little shopping? I could use a change of scenery!"

Together, they spent the next few hours wandering around the city and eventually ended up sitting in a little park. The air was still sharp in the way April can be, but the willow trees had that suppler look that said Spring was coming. "Once we have a diagnosis, we may be able to find some help, grants or special research that will make all of this easier," Linda told her.

"How bad is it?" Sookie asked.

"More money already than I have in the bank," Linda told her. "Somehow I don't think your waitress job will cover it." When Sookie looked away, Linda said, "Of course, it's not your debt. It's your Mother's and they can't come after you."

"But they can go after the house," Sookie said.

"Put a lien on it, maybe," Linda acknowledged. "I don't think they can force you to sell, and it's not like the old days when they threw you in debtor's prison. Could be your Mother can file bankruptcy, but I'm not sure the law protects her against these vultures."

' _Better off dead_.' The thought raced across Sookie's brain and she felt her whole face flush in shame.

Linda must have seen it, and probably knew what it meant, because she said, "Everyone who goes through this with someone they love thinks that at some point. Nothing to be ashamed of, not at all. It's human and what else are we?"

That afternoon, Sookie and Linda sat beside her Mother's bed. Her Mother was still groggy, but she recognized them both. While her hands were still tied to the sides of the bed, she could squeeze both their fingers and she smiled around the tube. She tried to talk, but her throat was too sore. "It's okay, Mom," Sookie assured her. "They are going to test things out and, if you're okay, they'll be taking the tube out tomorrow. Just don't fight it," and Sookie stood up and leaned back over her Mother to kiss her forehead. "You look so much better!" and Michele's eyes looked warmly at her daughter. It left Sookie feeling pleased.

The nurse told them the doctor wanted to speak with them before they left, and together they waited in the family area until the doctor answered his page.

"Well, we know what it is." He wasn't someone they'd met before, but Linda told Sookie later that it was because they didn't usually talk to the doctors on night shift.

"Cancer," Linda said, and the doctor looked surprised.

"Well, yes," he acknowledged. "It looks like a small, but definite tumor." The doctor had a film in his hand and he held it up to the light. He pointed to an area just over his left ear, "Located right around here. Now, the good news is that it's in an area that isn't involved in any motor functions. Best we can tell, this particular area isn't used much at all, so that's good. And the tumor is well-defined, which is also good." Sookie knew that the doctor saying 'good' so often should have made her feel good, but it didn't. "We should be able to remove it and your mother should recover with almost no deficit."

"Really?" Sookie started to feel excited. "And then she can go home?"

"There will be after-care," the doctor was frowning a little.

"Like what?" Sookie was feeling lighter with each passing moment. They would take it out and all would be well.

"Will she need chemo?" Aunt Linda asked, and Sookie felt the first pinprick, releasing air from the bubble of happiness she'd been feeling.

"And radiation after that, most likely," the doctor answered Linda. "Of course, that will be up to her oncologist."

"Of course," Linda nodded, her mouth tight-lipped. "And when would you be thinking to do this surgery?"

"Soon," the doctor replied. "She's stable now, but if the tumor continues to grow, it's likely she'll have another episode and we might not be able to bring her back next time," and with those words all the joy Sookie had been feeling was gone.

"Oh," Sookie said, and found she had no more words.

"It's almost the weekend. I'd suggest you meet with our social worker to get all the paperwork in place, power of attorney, her resuscitation order…" and his words dropped off as he looked at Sookie's paling face. "Not that she'll need those things," he stuttered.

"Just a precaution," Linda said, saving him. "That's okay. I understand."

The doctor ducked his head quickly and, within less than a minute, he was gone. Sookie didn't say anything and Linda let her sit. After a while, Linda covered Sookie's hand and said, "I think we've had enough excitement for one day. Let's head home," but as they were driving, Linda asked, "Do you have an attorney?"

"We have a neighbor who is one," Sookie answered, thinking of the couple that lived two houses down. She had no idea what kind of law her neighbor practiced, just that he'd told she and her Mother that he was an attorney at a neighborhood barbecue last Fall.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Surgery was scheduled for the following Tuesday. That left Friday, the weekend, and then Monday before things would change again. Michele, Sookie's mother, was moved out of Intensive Care and into a different ward. She was upgraded to an air tube that was snaked up her nose and she was most wonderfully and completely awake. Sookie and Linda spent the better part of every day with her. The attorney had been able to help them. "I'm so sorry," he told Sookie, and refused to take any money for pulling together paperwork he downloaded from a database he had at home.

Sookie was worried about broaching the subject with her mother. She was so happy at the new closeness she felt with her Mother and she didn't want to damage that by being the bearer of bad news, but Linda wasn't shy. "Michele, you know you're headed for surgery," she'd waded right in.

To Sookie's relief, Michele's eyes lit up when she saw the paperwork. "Oh, thank goodness, you pulled this together! I was so worried I'd leave Sookie in some kind of snarl!" Michele exclaimed. Her Mother's eyes wandered a bit, and then she looked at Sookie as she said, "Corbett would have known what to do," and her eyes became less focused again, the way they always did when Michele spoke of Sookie's Father.

"Your husband was a good man," Linda nodded, "He couldn't have foreseen what would happen and I know he would be mortified, knowing you were left needing money," and the two sisters sat side by side, using the hospital table to fill out the forms. Aunt Linda loaned Sookie's Mother her reading glasses and the two of them laughed and started telling stories from their youth, stories Sookie had never heard.

When they finished, Linda looked around, "You want to play cards?"

In all the years Sookie had lived with her Mother, they had never played cards, but her Mother looked excited. "Hearts?" she asked. "You have a deck?"

"When don't I?" Linda winked, and then said, "Come on, Sookie. Pull up a chair!"

"I don't know the rules," Sookie confessed, and Aunt Linda gave her Mother a scowl.

"Corbett didn't like me teaching the children games of chance," her Mother explained. "Besides, you were the worst cheat in the world! I wasn't going to teach either of my young children enough to be taken by you, or any of my cutthroat family!"

"Well, you never came around enough for us to rob you blind," Aunt Linda snarked, and she dealt out the hands and they played a couple rounds cards up, so Sookie could catch on.

The rest of the evening, the two sisters talked of relatives and what it had been like growing up in rural Minnesota. They talked about using an outhouse when the snow was higher than they were tall, and the summer the neighbor's bull got loose and their mother was trapped in the outhouse for hours. They talked about teasing each other and picking on their brother who had been the oldest. They talked about uncles and aunts, cousins and second cousins Sookie had never met. Visiting hours were over, but the nurses just shut their door and no one asked them to leave. Finally, Sookie's Mother talked of her Father, and when she told Linda that she felt in some ways that she was just waiting to join him, Linda shushed her. "The things you say!" Linda exclaimed, and then announced it was time for them to head home.

"Anything I can bring you from home?" Sookie asked.

"My bathrobe," her Mother replied. The bathrobe was worn, but it was one of the last things her Father had bought Michele, and she cherished it.

Saturday morning passed the same way. Sookie brought a board game and Aunt Linda brought Scrabble and insisted they play Dirty Word Scrabble, and then won. "It's better when you drink!" she proclaimed, and Sookie's Mother laughed like a young girl.

For lunch they smuggled in hamburgers and French fries from Michele's favorite place and cheesecake, too. They stayed up until late, but Sunday, Michele started to cry, telling her sister how much she missed Corbett. Linda tried to remind Michele that her daughter needed her, too, but Michele was unfazed.

"It's nothing," Sookie told Linda later. "She's always been that way. Mama's world was Daddy. She loved him so much there just wasn't a lot left over for the rest of us." For Sookie, it was the way it had always been, so she didn't see Linda's disapproving stare.

When Monday rolled around, the doctors returned and last minute testing started. The social worker set up a meeting for Sookie and Linda for tomorrow while Michele would be in surgery. If all went well, Michele would be headed home after a week, and then chemotherapy would need to be set up as soon as her surgeon released her. The social worker was trying to find a facility nearby that would provide the service Michele needed without her having to travel hours. It wasn't looking promising, but Aunt Linda leaned over, squeeze Sookie's knee, and said, "Don't worry. Things always seem to work out for you! This will too!"

Michele Stackhouse was taken from the room to wait her turn with the surgeon early Tuesday morning. By ten o'clock she still hadn't gone into surgery. By noon she was in surgery and they didn't think it would take more than a couple hours. She wasn't out of surgery until past dinner time.

Aunt Linda and Sookie sat in the family area outside the same Intensive Care Unit, waiting for word. The doctor's face when he headed for them wasn't promising.

"It wasn't what we thought," he told them. "There were several tumors, not just one. They were interconnected and one was quite deep."

"What does that mean?" Linda asked, and she squeezed Sookie's hand, both of them leaning forward, like women braving a strong wind.

"Well, it took longer than we thought," the surgeon started, "and there's a possibility we missed something. That probably means more chemotherapy."

"But, she'll be okay…" and Sookie couldn't quite make it a question.

"I don't think there will be any major changes," the surgeon told them.

Sookie took it as good news, but Linda's eyes narrowed. "When will we be able to see her?" she asked.

"Probably not until sometime tomorrow," the surgeon was looking at his hands.

Linda stood, "Thank you for letting us know. I'd imagine the social worker will be able to help us set up after-care…"

"Yes," the surgeon stood, too, "Of course. Call before you come," and with a nod, he walked away.

"That sounded hopeful," Sookie said, but Linda remained silent as they drove home.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"We're figuring it out," Sookie was holding her Mother's hands.

"Oh," Michele answered, "That's good. What?"

It was a full day before Michele truly woke up, and then another day before she was responding somewhat normally. She was more forgetful. Sookie would tell her something, but would have to repeat it less than an hour later. When Linda left the room and didn't immediately walk back in, Michele would be surprised to see her. "Linda! When did you arrive?" she'd ask each time.

The tests were back. The tumor that was removed revealed itself to be a rare strain of cancer, one that was of interest to researchers. The people at Dana Farber would treat Michele and they were willing to forgo most of their costs in exchange for the freedom to publish their results. In view of what would be necessary to finish the 'cure,' it seemed almost too good to be true.

The social worker informed Sookie and Linda that Michele would need to be as close to the Center as they could manage. Treatments would be difficult, and if they were within a five mile radius, there would be transportation provided free of charge both there and back.

"How long?" Linda asked.

"Probably close to a year, between the chemo and the radiation," the nurse informed them.

"It's fine," Sookie nodded. "I can take a year off school. It's not a big deal. That way I can be home and help out. If everything goes well, I can get a job and put some money away for books and things."

Linda didn't tell her otherwise, but Sookie could see the end of her college days reflected in her Aunt's eyes. ' _I won't give it up!_ ' Sookie promised herself, ' _Even if I have to wait until I'm a hundred! I'll finish!_ '

They spent the afternoon searching apartment listings in Brighton near the Cancer Research Center. It was sobering. Rent, even in places that made Sookie's skin crawl, would cost more than the current mortgage payment on the house. "I think we'll have to sell the house," Sookie told her Aunt.

"You always said you were willing to consider it," Linda nodded.

Sookie called the real estate agent and arrangements were made to have the house appraised. "She says it's a seller's market," Sookie said when she hung up. "She said she didn't think we'd even have to show the place."

"Guess that's Boston for you," Linda sighed. Sookie didn't tell her that their house wasn't in Boston, not even close, but even Sookie could see that their small town was developing. Houses just a few streets over were being snatched up and ripped down to be replaced by much bigger houses. Sookie looked out the window and thought of Jason. What if he decided to come find them one day? There would be strangers living in their house, but then Sookie couldn't think of that. ' _There's Google_ ,' she promised herself, ' _and Facebook. If he wants to find us, he can_.'

"You seem like such nice people," one of the nurses walked over to where they were sitting. "I may have a suggestion." She was a woman who had been taking care of Michele during the night shift, and she and Linda had become friendly. "There's a man I met through here, a former patient. He lives close to where you're looking, not a mile or more away from Dana Farber. His eyesight is poor, so he works out of his home. He lives on the first floor and he rents the second floor apartment. I'm pretty sure he's between tenants."

"What does he do for a living?" Linda asked, her sharp voice making its appearance. "My niece is an attractive, young woman and my sister won't be in any shape to defend herself. I don't want them living upstairs from some masher."

"Oh, no!" the nurse protested, "I never would have suggested it if Sam was like that. He's not at all! He writes books, mostly fiction. He's not exactly famous, but he makes a decent living, and he owns the house. He's quiet, and like I mentioned, his sight is… Well, he's almost blind, so he's pretty particular about who he rents to. I guess you could say he's worried that he'd be the victim."

"Any idea what he'd charge for rent?" Sookie asked.

"Last I heard it was less than a thousand a month," the nurse replied, and Sookie turned to look at her Aunt. Every other place they'd seen on the Internet today had charged twice that.

"We'd have to meet him," Linda said in her strong voice.

The nurse laughed a little, "Well, Sam would have to meet you, too, but I suspect you'll work out fine."


	4. Chapter 3 - Bells Ring

**Chapter 3 – Bells Ring**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Sookie set the bags down on the floor of the wraparound porch and flipped over to the house key on her key ring. She was just turning the second dead bolt when the door swung open. "I thought that was you," Sam, her landlord, greeted her.

"Thanks," Sookie ducked her head, avoiding eye contact. It was silly because Sookie was pretty sure that with his bad eyes, all Sam could see was a blur where her face was. Stooping for the grocery bags, Sookie marched past him and into the hall.

Sam was taller than both Sookie and her mother, Michele. If Sookie had to guess, she'd put him in his mid-forties. He had sandy hair that was thinning a little on top. He was thick and soft around the middle, the way people got when they didn't get out much. Sam smiled in his pleasant, slightly vacant way, then stepped forward, forcing Sookie to pause. Rather than simply push past him, Sookie pasted her smile on her face, "How are you, Sam? How's the book coming?" she asked politely. Sookie sensed that Sam took any conversation she offered as more encouragement than she meant, but she couldn't bring herself to be rude to her landlord.

Sam didn't write fiction as the nurse who'd introduced them thought. Sam wrote books on military history. Before he developed the disease that was slowly robbing him of his sight, he'd been a researcher and instructor at one of the military academies. This house was his family home, and it was where he chose to retreat. When Sam was growing up here, this had been a quiet, family neighborhood, but as Boston continued its slow, inevitable sprawl, things grew up, and then started to go to seed all around it. Now, this was a small, unnoticed street that branched off a busy thoroughfare. It was a dead end, and that spared the half-dozen houses from witnessing a parade of cars every day as people sought quicker ways from one place to another.

What the neighborhood wasn't spared was the occasional squall of street thugs who blew in from time to time, looking for easy pickings. There was a small park only one house down, and young bloods would congregate there, perching on swings and the old-style push merry-go-round, noisy and aggressive. On those days, Sookie would walk past the playground with purpose, her eyes trained ahead of her. She would ignore the calls and hoots, and think, gratefully, of the three heavy bolts that Sam had installed on his front door.

"Can I carry that bag for you?" Sam offered, and Sookie thought he was looking altogether too hopeful.

"Thanks for offering," Sookie said brightly, her standard answer to his standard question, "but, no, it's only a little bit this week. Well," and she glanced at the stairs that led to her apartment, "I should probably get going."

"Oh," and Sookie heard his disappointment. "Well, you have a nice day," Sam told her, "Tell your Mom Hi for me," and Sam purposely brushed her arm with his fingers as she passed by.

"I will," Sookie replied, keeping her voice light and pretending she hadn't noticed his touching her. She deliberately turned the doorknob and walked steadily up the stairs, one foot after the other, refusing to let Sam know he'd flustered her in any way.

Michele was sitting at the kitchen table peeling potatoes for dinner. "You're looking perky!" Sookie told her.

"Oh!" Michele looked startled. "You went out?"

Sookie held up the grocery bags, and then pointed at the note that sat on the table directly in front of her Mother. "Yes," she replied. "And you wrote down a note so you wouldn't forget." Sookie fought back her frustration. This wasn't Michele's fault. It was the result of the surgery. Michele remembered who she was, and she remembered the people in her life, but her short-term memory was impaired. She couldn't remember whether she'd washed or where people went. Michele would get confused about why she was doing something, and she couldn't go outside on her own because she'd forget the way home. There was one bright side, though. Michele forgot her strange yearning for her husband, and Sookie found her relationship with her Mother was better than it ever had been.

"I'm feeling better," her Mother told her daughter. Michele still had her hair, but it was slowly disappearing. ' _Shedding_ ,' her Mother called it. The first round of chemo hadn't been as bad as they'd expected, but they were assured that with each round, the effects would intensify.

Sookie set the bags on the counter and started moving around the kitchen, putting things away. "Sam is a nice man," her mother offered.

"Yeah, he is," Sookie agreed.

"Did you know he came up today and spent an hour or so just talking? He's a good talker," her Mother added. She pointed at a book on the Civil War that was resting on the countertop. "He left that for you. He likes you a lot."

"Were you okay with him coming up here?" Sookie stopped her sorting and turned toward her Mother, her hand on her hip. She purposely ignored the comments about Sam's attraction and focused on the issue that concerned her most. The idea of Sam Merlotte being alone with her Mother, who was so vulnerable, made Sookie wary.

"It was nice, his company," her Mother replied. "He thinks the world of you," she repeated again.

"Yeah, he's nice for an old guy," Sookie's tone was not kind and she resumed her motion of reaching from bag to cabinet and then back to bag again.

"He really is smart," her Mother persisted.

"Then you should get him lined up for once you're back in action," Sookie sassed.

"He's not interested in an old, used up lady like me," her Mother kept teasing.

"Well, I'm not interested in a fat, middle-aged guy, Mom!" The words came out quickly, and Sookie immediately regretted them.

"Sookie!" her Mother's mouth fell open, and her face made clear her disapproval.

"You're right! I'm sorry. That was so mean!" and Sookie sat down. "I'm not myself. I'm tired. I didn't get off work until past two last night and then I couldn't sleep."

Sookie had a job now waiting tables at an all-night diner around the corner. It was a favorite with families for dinner and the Boston bar crowd for later. The place had been in business and in the same family for generations, and for those from Watertown and Newton who were 'in the know,' it was the only place to go. The tables were big and the tips were good. Pat, the man who ran the place, cooked whole turkeys for his signature club sandwich every morning, and then he cooked another round of turkeys in the afternoon for the night crowd. He had special ovens lining the back of his kitchen installed just for that purpose. It was like walking into Thanksgiving every day and Sookie loved it.

"You are working too much," her Mother scolded. "You race around all day chasing down doctors, cooking, running errands, and then you run all night at your job. You need a break, sweetie."

"It's okay, Mom," Sookie assured her Mother. It wasn't though. Every night before she went to bed, Sookie plotted out the minutes of the next day. She listed and planned and listed again, trying to fit too many needs into the too small bag of the next day.

"Did Aunt Linda call today?" Sookie asked, glancing at the Caller ID on her Mother's phone.

Michele looked blankly, but then checked the pad of paper in front of her. "She did," Michele said, not hiding the surprise in her voice. "She asked if you'd found a young man yet," and Michele waggled her eyebrows.

"Well, I hope you told Aunt Linda that I have more important things on my mind other than getting laid," Sookie fired back, earning another snort from her Mother. Truth be told, it had been close to a year since Sookie had been intimate with anyone. Putting the last can away, Sookie added, "And you can tell my Mother that Sam Merlotte downstairs doesn't even make the fourth string fantasy list, so she can just cool her jets!"

"He really is a nice man," her Mother said again. "He has money coming in and he'd take care of you." When Sookie turned quickly, her fist on her hip, Michele said, "Just saying," and picked up the potato and knife to start peeling again.

"There are lots of nice men out there," Sookie agreed, "but I'm not interested in dating right now. And even if I was, I don't know where I'd fit one in. I'm kind of busy these days."

That night as Sookie walked the few blocks to the restaurant, she thought back to the last time she'd been on any kind of date. He'd been nice enough. He'd lived on campus and Sookie had shared his too narrow bed a couple of times in those days before her Mother's illness. They hadn't exactly broken up, but neither had they spoken in months, so Sookie figured it was pretty well over.

With the coming of Fall, it was already dark at seven o'clock and the lights of the diner blazed like a beacon into the night ahead of her. There were people sitting in the small entryway and people sitting in their cars. They would be waiting for Fran, Pat's wife, to call their cells signaling when a table was available. When Sookie opened the door, the noise enveloped her like a great wave and the heat caused her to strip off her coat as she headed to the back.

"Glad you got here a little early," Amelia, her fellow waitress called out. "We could use another split in the stations. It's crazy!"

Sookie, Holly, and Amelia all covered the tables. The counter was run by Pat himself and Fran pinch-hit. There was a constantly changing rotation of bus boys who all seemed to last two nights before they would end up fired. When things got too crazy, the women bused their own tables to keep things moving. Sookie slipped into the 'swing' station and introduced herself to her tables. The tips for these guests would go to the original waitress, that was the deal, and it kept things civil, but you always hoped that when you did step in, the tables you inherited were closer to leaving.

The night passed like a blur, and then things slowed down as they always did between ten and eleven. Holly would stay until all the side work was done, and then she'd head home to her family. Sookie usually stayed until three when the waves of people staggering in from the bars slowed. The diner itself would close at four in morning and not open for business again until noon the following day, and then it would start all over again.

"You interested in taking a boat ride?" Amelia asked as she slid into the booth where they were filling ketchup bottles.

"What are you talking about?" Sookie felt startled by the question. It seemed so out of place in the routine she knew.

"Sunday, during the day," Amelia persisted. "We can grab the harbor taxi out to Spectacle Island. It's a national park and they'll be closing it down soon for the season. We could grab our last tan of the season and have a final Fall picnic."

"I don't know," Sookie said slowly, thinking of her Mother.

"Don't say no," Amelia huffed. "You don't do anything, you don't go anywhere! You've been living here for what? Months? And you haven't seen Quincy Market or any of the tourist stuff! This is six hours, and it'll only cost you ten dollars. Island? Ocean?"

"I'll check with my Mother," Sookie promised. Amelia knew about Sookie's situation, but she also knew Michele was between chemo treatments.

"Of course you're going!" her Mother exclaimed when Sookie mentioned it the next day.

"It's not all that," Sookie shrugged, trying not look too interested. "Who knows? I'll probably get sea sick and be a big drag all day."

"You love the water and you know you'll have a wonderful time," her Mother scolded her. "Just find out what you can bring for the picnic and we'll figure out what you should wear. Oh, Sookie!" and her Mother made clear that she was more excited to be helping her daughter than she would be if she was going herself.

"It may turn out to be a bad day," Sookie persisted, "Besides, what are you going to do here all day, all alone? The thought of you and creepy Sam wandering around the house kind of gives me a chill."

"Just stop it!" her Mother scolded. "You are too hard on Sam! He means well, and he's lonely just like everyone else. Besides, he's busy trying to finish his latest book. They brought a new screen for his computer, and I swear it's bigger than our television. It won't be much longer and he'll be stone blind unless they find something to cure him, so you might try to find a little Christian kindness in that hard heart of yours!"

"You're right," and Sookie felt ashamed. "I can't imagine not being able to see. It must be terrible."

"It is," her Mother looked mollified, "and as for me? I intend to binge watch "Vikings" without my daughter scolding me about wasting my day away in front of the television, and there's an apple pie and vanilla ice cream with my name on it!" Another thing that happened after the surgery was Michele's tastes in food changed. Before the surgery she'd always preferred vegetables. She would make whole meals out of tomatoes and beets. Now she preferred sugar and her waistline was suffering. "So, you'll be doing me a big favor," her mother concluded, pulling a beach towel from the closet.

Sunday came, and it was not cold or rainy. In fact, it was forecasted to be sunny and unseasonably warm. Sookie took her bag with her beachwear and sun screen along with a small cooler filled with her Mother's best coleslaw, the one with the vinegar and pimentos, and walked to the end of the street to wait for Amelia.

Just a few minutes after the appointed time, Amelia's beat-up Jeep pulled over and Sookie jumped into the passenger seat. "You remember Dawn and Hoyt," Amelia motioned to the couple sitting in the back seat. Sookie had met the couple from time to time at the diner, so they weren't exactly strangers.

"Yeah, sure," Sookie smiled. Amelia hadn't mentioned there would be others coming with them. Sookie had thought it would be a day where the two of them would just hang out and talk, but Dawn and Hoyt's presence told Sookie she was mistaken. "Nice to see you," Sookie acknowledged them.

"We're going to take the T into town," Amelia was saying. "The station in Watertown won't charge me for parking. The boat goes out of Rowe's Wharf and you can't find parking down there for less than thirty bucks a day. Besides, it's so close to the Aquarium that we'll be sitting in traffic." Amelia then launched into a one-woman monologue about her night and who she'd seen, which didn't include anyone Sookie knew. She talked about what shows were coming into town and the latest gossip from the restaurant.

Amelia screeched into the large, open lot and Sookie grabbed her bags. Together, they headed for the platform. Hoyt and Dawn had passes and walked right through, but Sookie and Amelia spent time at the kiosk. "I didn't know today was going to be a group," Sookie told Amelia. "I hope I brought enough coleslaw."

"Oh, don't be silly!" Amelia dismissed her, and that was Amelia.

Amelia was a fine friend as long as you remembered that Amelia's best friend was always Amelia. She did what was convenient and best for her, and if that worked out for you, too, Amelia was honestly happy. If what you wanted didn't fit into Amelia's plans, she'd cut you loose as if she'd never known you at all. Still, spending time with Amelia was fun and, when happy, Amelia could be generous and kind.

As they rode the T into town, Sookie had to acknowledge Amelia was right about one thing. Sookie was still a stranger to most of Boston. Once they passed the areas Sookie knew, those closest to the cancer center, the stops seemed to get larger and more crowded. Amelia made up stories about the people they passed, and Hoyt launched into a string of dirty jokes that had Sookie's cheeks burning. Before she knew it, Sookie was walking down city sidewalks, trailing Amelia and her friends under trees that were just showing color. They passed the Boston Aquarium, winding their way through children and tour groups. Amelia led them toward the water and soon they were passing under a gate, and then down the gangway toward the harbor itself. There were several passenger boats tied up here, including the Aquarium's Whale Watch boat. Amelia hustled them further down the dock and Sookie saw two boats with the Harbor Ferry logo painted on the side.

Amelia had pre-purchased their tickets and they all walked on board together. Dawn immediately headed for the back. "Come on!" she called, then turned to race other people to get to the top deck.

"She's running to get us chairs," Hoyt explained. "From up there we can see everything."

They emerged on the open, flat roof of the boat, and Dawn was standing near the front, talking with a man. "There you are!" Amelia called out, and Sookie realized that Amelia was meeting a boyfriend. Sookie felt her fake smile paste across her face. It was her shield every time she found herself in an uncomfortable situation, and growing up the way she had, the new kid in every town, she'd had a lot of experience with those.

Sookie looked away as Amelia wrapped herself around the man and began examining his tonsils with her tongue. Instead, Sookie looked at the other people who were standing at the rails or were claiming tables. They all seemed to be couples. There were couples holding hands, and couples leaning into each other, pointing to landmarks on the shore. There were couples chatting and groups of couples laughing. In that moment Sookie felt profoundly lonely, even standing in this crowd.

Amelia detached herself from the guy and walked over to grab Sookie's arm, "So, did you bring a swimsuit?"

"I did," Sookie replied, her crazy smile stretched across her face.

"Good," Amelia laughed, and Sookie realized Amelia was oblivious to Sookie's discomfort. Amelia dragged Sookie back toward where the group was standing. "The water will still be plenty warm and there's a great little beach there." Amelia steered Sookie with one hand and the guy she still hadn't introduced with another to a table and chairs that faced the Boston skyline.

Hoyt appeared with soft drinks for all of them and they settled in, placing their feet against the metal rails and watching the buildings and boats slowly slip past them as the Ferry headed away from the dock.

The ride took a little over twenty minutes, and Sookie soon forgot her frustration at being a third wheel. She couldn't stop staring at the scenery around her.

The city skyline became clearer the farther they traveled away from it. Sookie glanced down at the water and realized there was a whole world of people at play out there. Everywhere she looked there were small fishing boats and ski boats. A couple people raced by on Jet Skis and the water's surface was studded with the triangles of sails. When they passed a boat, the people on board would wave and shout. When they passed another ferry or a whale watching vessel, the boats would exchange long blasts of their horns. Sookie found herself caught up in the joy of it and when strangers waved, she waved back. At one point, they motored past a point of land and Sookie saw what looked like an old fort of some kind. There were people walking on the flat parade grounds that surrounded it, and Sookie could see heads of other people standing high on the walls. There were old cannon stationed around and an American flag flapping on a flagpole out front. Sookie turned to ask about it, but Dawn and Hoyt had disappeared, and Amelia seemed intent on merging her body with her boyfriend's. ' _I'll find out later_ ,' Sookie told herself, turning back to look out across the water.

Sookie realized that Boston was a harbor within a harbor. As they cleared the arms of the land, she could see that there were many islands between the City and the open ocean. What felt even odder was that every few minutes, a huge jet would pass overhead, and soon Sookie could see them taking off, one after another, across the bay from a runway positioned to run into the sea. After a few more minutes, Sookie could see other jets coming in from the ocean landing on another strip of land and she spent the remainder of the trip watching the ballet of airplanes, each timed with beautiful precision.

"We're here!" Amelia startled her, and the boat made a wide turn to pull into a dock.

The island wasn't large. Sookie could easily see both ends. It was made up of two hills and there was a building nestled in the valley in between. "This used to be where Boston hauled all their garbage," Hoyt told her as they walked down the gangway that led to the dock. "It got so bad out here that the place caught fire. I saw pictures where you could see the column of smoke over the harbor. The whole island was burning deep down underground in the piles of garbage."

"It was on the news," Dawn nodded. "Folks here were embarrassed and they should have been. When they finally got the fire put out, they stopped dumping."

"Until the Big Dig," Hoyt nodded. "They figured they should make something of the place, so they brought all the dirt they dug to make the tunnels out here, buried all the garbage good and deep, and planted the trees. We'll take a walk around later. There's hiking paths and picnic shelters now. Pretty nice."

"It is," Sookie replied, and meant it.

They walked as a group down the concrete dock and found a place where they could spread towels on the small beach. "You wearing your swim suit?" Amelia asked Sookie.

"No," Sookie shook her head. "I figured I'd change once I got here."

"Good," Amelia smiled, "so did I. Come on!" and Amelia grabbed her hand and pulled her toward a building with large doors and an open bottom.

Sookie changed into her one-piece swim suit. It was the first time she'd worn it in a long time. It was pretty conservative, a plain navy blue with a sweetheart neckline. She threw a shirt over it and toed into her sandals, then walked out to wait. Amelia came out a minute later in a bikini that emphasized how thin she was. "So," Amelia glanced at the beach, "what do you think of Sean?"

"Who?" Sookie asked.

"Sean, the guy I'm with," Amelia rolled her eyes toward the guy she'd been kissing on the boat.

"Oh," Sookie smiled around clenched teeth, "Oh, he's okay. Known him long?"

"About a month," Amelia shrugged. "I met him in the City. He's Irish, but not off the boat Irish. Anyway, he plays in an Irish band on weekends. I love musicians," and she flashed a smile in Sean's direction.

Sean grinned and Sookie had to admit, with his wavy brown hair and straight teeth, he was attractive. Sookie followed Amelia back to the beach. Dawn was already wearing her swim suit and stretched out on a blanket next to Hoyt, who had opted for gym shorts. Sean pulled his shirt off and brushed sand off the blanket beside him, inviting Amelia to sit down. Sookie pulled her towel out of her bag and laid it out on the sand beside Amelia. As she sat down Amelia called, "Come on, Sookie, take the shirt off. You're so pale! It will do you good to get some sun."

"Yeah, sure," Sookie smiled gamely. She stood up again and pulled her shirt over her head. As she folded it and bent down to tuck it into her bag, someone whistled and Sookie had the uncomfortable feeling the sound was aimed at her. Amelia seemed to confirm it when she said, "Holy shit! Wow, Sookie! I had no idea you were hiding that under your uniform!"

Sookie looked around and it seemed like everyone, not just their group, was staring at her. Hoyt's mouth was actually open and Sookie could feel the heat of her blush rushing over her. She felt ridiculous and humiliated, and she pulled her shirt right back over her head. "Come on!" Amelia crowed. "What are you so embarrassed about? You're hot!"

"Smoking," Sean agreed, which had Amelia spinning around to smack his arm.

"I guess I just don't get out much," Sookie said quickly. She kept her eyes trained to the ocean, and when her face wouldn't stop burning, she flashed a quick, tight smile at Amelia, stood up, and said, "I'm going to get some cold water from the café. Anyone else want anything?" and she walked away as quickly as she politely could.

Amelia came up behind her after a minute, "You're not upset, are you?" she asked.

"No, just… I don't know. Embarrassed," and Sookie smiled again before looking away.

"I guess you don't get complimented much," Amelia looked sympathetic, "but you are kind of, well, gorgeous," which make Sookie blush again. Amelia glanced back toward the beach, "Come on, keep the shirt on and hang out with us. I won't let anyone hit on you if you don't want them to."

"I'm being a baby," Sookie sighed. "I just never really thought of myself like…well…like that."

"Huh," Amelia snickered, "So, what? You don't have any mirrors in your house?" and wrapping her arm around her, Amelia dragged Sookie back to the beach.

It did turn out to be a fun afternoon. When it was time to eat, they picked their blankets off the beach and headed up the smaller of the two hills using wide, well-marked paths. "There are picnic shelters up there," Amelia told Sookie. "We'll find one with a view." They walked up to the top of the hill, looked around, and then headed back, finding their perfect spot on the other side down near the water.

The food was good. There were ham sandwiches and peanut butter. The carrot sticks and celery somehow tasted better with the taste of salt air, and everyone complimented Sookie's coleslaw. Amelia pulled out brownies for dessert, and she and Sean stretched out under the shade of the pavilion leaning against the leg of the picnic table, facing the sea.

Sookie wandered toward the water and waded out into the waves so she could scramble up onto a boulder that seemed to remain just above the waves' surface. They were on the far side of the island and Sookie had that sense that she was surrounded by ocean, looking out toward the mystery of the great Atlantic and all the lands that lay beyond the horizon. She glanced behind her and saw Dawn and Hoyt. They were standing together on a little spit of land that reached into the ocean, their arms around each other.

Sea birds flew past her and Sookie could see boats and waves and sunshine reflecting off the water. For some reason, the beauty of the place made Sookie think of her Father. He loved the sun. They hadn't lived near the ocean often, but they did live near lakes and Sookie's Father would take them to spend the day sitting on sand or rent a small boat so they could fish. They were some of Sookie's happiest memories. Her Mother would go, too. Sookie knew her Mother didn't love boats, but she loved being near the water because her husband loved it so much. Sookie thought of her Mother sitting alone in the dark apartment in Newton. She thought about how much she would love this place and she wondered if her mother would ever be well enough again to take a boat ride and stand here on this boulder, like Sookie was.

Before she knew what was happening, Sookie was crying, her tears falling down her cheeks and into the ocean around her. "God, what a cry baby!" she scolded herself out loud, and she swiped at the tears with the back of her hand. Biting her lip, Sookie looked purposefully back toward the horizon. That's when she saw it.

It wasn't far, but far enough that Sookie wasn't quite sure what she was seeing. There was something out there in the water that almost looked like a dark ball floating on the waves. Sookie stared at it, squinting to try and bring it into focus, but then, the ball dipped and disappeared under the water. Sookie blinked, wondering if she'd really seen it when the ball appeared again, but this time it was closer. Sookie could see its large, dark eyes, and peaceful, watchful expression, and realized she was looking at a seal. What's more, the seal appeared to be watching Sookie.

"Do you see that?" Dawn called. Sookie turned to see Dawn looking at Hoyt, but pointing in the direction of the seal. Sookie fully expected that when she turned back the seal would be gone, but it wasn't. If anything, the seal seemed to come closer, watching her with soulful eyes. Sookie wasn't sure how long they stayed there. She didn't want to move and the seal seemed content to remain where it was, bobbing up and down with the gentle action of the waves.

On a whim, Sookie raised her hand, holding her palm open toward the seal and, when she did, the seal seemed to raise itself up in the water, and then, with a quick movement, it disappeared under the waves. Sookie watched and watched, but the seal didn't return.

As they got off the boat in Boston, Sean kissed Amelia and then turning to Sookie, said, "We're playing, me and my band, in Cambridge next week. You should come. Say you will. There's people there you need to meet."

"I'll have to see," Sookie stammered, thinking of her Mother.

"Don't you like Irish music?" he asked, laying his hand on his chest as though she'd mortally wounded him.

"I do!" Sookie laughed. In fact, Sookie was keen on traditional music of almost any kind. She could spend hours watching musicians, their fingers flying as they brought melody from acoustic instruments. There was something so pure and honest about it. It touched some place in her heart. "I'll try, I really will."

"You need to bring her," Sean told Amelia, and he punctuated his words by kissing Sookie's friend. "Call me when you get home," he growled into Amelia's neck, and then turning to leave called out again, "Nice to meet all of you, Dawn, Hoyt. Sookie! I mean it! Best music in the world!" and he was strutting down the street, whistling a jaunty song.

That night as Sookie lay in her bed she thought of her day. She thought of the light and the water and the crisp smell of ocean. She thought of playing Frisbee and the feel of water on her feet. As her eyes closed, she thought about the feeling of recognition she'd felt when the seal watched her and she wondered at it.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

When the boat came into the city, no one noticed the seals who followed. Seals in Boston Harbor were not common, but with the improvement in water quality, they weren't unusual either. What was not in any way common, though, was when one of the seals slipped under the abandoned pier a few steps down from the dock where the harbor taxi docked and shed its skin, taking human form. Reaching up under the old decking, the now man retrieved the bag of clothes and found his way to the end of the pier closest to shore. There was dry space here and he used it to dress and then place his sealskin inside the bag. Tucking the bag back up under the decking where it wouldn't be found, the man used his glamour to hide his wet hair and his slightly webbed hands. He became just another tourist joining the stream of tourists enjoying the sights near Boston Harbor.

It had been the tears. Seven tears, falling from the eye of an unhappy woman into the ocean that summoned a Selkie, and the tears of a Fae were irresistible. This woman, whoever she was, was not full Fae, but she was more than human, and that suggested a possibility.

For over fifty years, Rogan, King of Northern Ireland had been searching for a family that was half Fae, and for over fifty years, no hint of that family had been found. Every Selkie knew of Rogan's interest, and there were riches and favors promised for any who found them. Now, at last, there was a possibility.

The man searched the sidewalks near where the Wharf emptied to the street, but he didn't see her. He closed his eyes and sniffed. The air was thick with the smells of the city and impending Fall, but there, just on the edge of his senses, he smelled it, the golden honey tang of Fae. Turning his head, he hurried in that direction and saw the group she had been with. There was one man and two women with her, and he could see them walking down into the T station. He followed, not bothering to pay. The turnstile always worked for him and no one would question. It was easy to stand close to her. She was even more intoxicating up close and he struggled not to lean into her.

Her friend turned as if to protest, but he caught her eyes and she turned back to the others in their group and ignored him. The ride wasn't long. She exited with the others at the Watertown station and he followed them to the parking lot. The friend was driving, and he memorized the license number. It was easy to walk into the store nearby and glamour the person behind the desk to allow him to use their phone. This stranger would be annoyed when they saw the long-distance charge on their bill later, but there would be no memory of how it happened. He would probably write it off to butt dialing.

The Selkie gave the license number and description to his contact in Ireland. He described the girl, the whole time stroking the cheek of the man whose phone he was using. Humans! They were so simple to manipulate!

"Good job," his contact told him. "I will relay the information at once."

The Selkie handed the phone back then, and looking neither left nor right, made his way back to the T that would take him back into Boston and from there, home.


	5. Chapter 4 - The Hunt

**Chapter 4 – The Hunt**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Breandan Brigant sipped his scotch. The heavy cut glass tumbler felt right in his hand and the heather scent of the liquor caressed his nose. He was seated at his favorite table in the far corner of his pub. This was the second of the public rooms in the town hotel he managed. He could say he owned it, but through a series of trusts and corporations, all hotels were owned by his family, or he should say, his Father. If Rogan ever decided to die or abdicate, all ownership would pass to Breandan as would the responsibilities of the kingdom, and that prospect was not so attractive.

' _Far better to be the pampered, trusted son of a King than the King himself_ ,' Breandan thought.

"Thomas? We were wondering if you would join us for dinner this evening." The older couple were German. They were also wealthy and stayed in one of Breandan's establishments at least twice a year. Some years they brought their extended family. They were retired now. He had been a doctor and she had been a teacher. They spent their time walking trails across much of northern Europe. The rolling hills of Ireland were their favorite.

"I would be delighted," Breandan smiled in return. Thomas O'Hara was Breandan's current identity. He was in his late forties. He allowed a slight greying at the temples, but kept his eyes sharp and his waistline trim. In truth, Breandan had stopped straying far from his true state many ages ago. There had been a time he had assumed blond or red tones. He even stole the raven-black hair and blue eyes of his cousin and occasional lover, Claude Brigant. It had been charming for awhile but, now, like so many parts of his endless existence, changing faces was just one more detail in a long line of details.

The couple were kind. They were also well-read, although as the years progressed, they were less so. Breandan supposed it was their failing bodies. They slept more now and the treks between towns took them longer. He had the next hotel phone him when they arrived there, a courtesy he had for all his favored guests, and he had the hotel just before his on the long, circular trail call him when those same favored guests set out on their last leg before reaching him again.

The guests here weren't all hikers, excited about making the ancient hundred-mile trek. Many more were here for the city itself, nestled against the sea and full of history and romance. The buildings were stone and the streets were cobbled. The place had been a settlement since prehistoric times, and its history included many moments recorded in history books. People came from around the world to visit, and Breandan's hotel in town was the premiere place to stay. He had another place outside of town and across the harbor, a former English Lord's estate. Of course, the rates there were much higher and the rooms were fewer, but it had a beautiful view. In the past hundred years, the castle, for that's what it was, had hosted many celebrities, and most recently, a rock star's wedding assured that the place was booked for the next two years. Everyone wanted to stay where the stars slept, and Breandan was happy to accommodate.

For himself, he was happier in town. It was simpler in many ways. He could slip from his current persona to college student to young tough. He matched the face and exterior to the circumstances to take advantage of every experience the town had to offer. He could also flip gender from male to female, but Breandan found the work required to adapt was too straining, so he rarely did.

When he grew tired of being hemmed in by humans, Breandan would escape out into the countryside, walking the ancient trail the mile or two until it came to the hidden path that led to his old stronghold. To the unknowing eye, the stronghold was nothing but a ridge in the ground and lines of broken stone. If you got close enough, a human could see old carvings, but the true nature of the place was hidden, unless you were foolish enough to stumble into it. Woe to the human who found their way inside, for they would soon discover they could not find their way out easily. Luckily, influence and custom caused most to respect Fairy Forts. They were avoided by farmers and walkers alike, and even the law required the land they rested upon be unmolested.

Once he was inside, Breandan could slip off the masques and glamours of his everyday life. He could walk the halls as he truly was, his long brown hair resting over his shoulders, his features sharp.

There were usually others in the Fort when Breandan visited, Fae who came here almost as a vacation, to remember and refresh who and what they were. Rogan's Fort to the North was larger and it attracted more Fae, but Breandan preferred his own place. It was near where his Mother had fallen so many ages ago. He could still see Aoife's soft features and remember her voice. She loved him in a way his Father couldn't. To Rogan, Breandan was an heir and a means to an end. As his son, Breandan was expected to support, obey, and fight when called upon. Breandan had also been expected to marry and produce an heir.

Breandan had married, a Fae woman named Mae. She was royal in name, her house to the East long gone. She was pretty enough and had been willing but, in the end, there had been no heir, and over time she had drifted from him, seeking pleasure in Europe and then further East. Breandan didn't miss her. Like his Father, Mae looked at him as a title and a name. Breandan was certain that in all the time they spent together, she had never once really seen him.

Claude knew him. His cousin knew him only too well, and he used that knowledge to his advantage. There had been a time when Breandan was truly and passionately in love with Claude. He yearned to see him. He dreamed of the taste of him and would awaken, burning with desire. For awhile, Claude returned his passion and for one, glorious age, the cousins had been inseparable, but, like all things for the Fae, time had dulled their feelings. Claude was the first to stray.

Claude preferred men and he personally preferred to be man-handled. He liked the feel of rough callouses and sharp stubble. Breandan had done his best to accommodate his cousin's preferences but, in the end, Breandan lacked the stomach for what Claude truly desired. Claude needed someone who treated him poorly. It wasn't physical abuse as much as indifference that attracted Claude, and Breandan couldn't pretend to be that. It seemed ironic. All Breandan desired was to be loved for himself, while Claude desired to be loved not at all.

Dinner was pleasant. Dieter and Marta regaled Breandan with stories of their newest grandchildren and people they had met on this year's trek around the peninsula. As they spoke, they would often look at each other, their hands touching. Breandan couldn't help remembering after he'd first met them. They were newly married then, and he'd been Martin O'Hara, uncle to Thomas, his current persona. Although the couple across the table from him were human and imperfect in all the ways humans were, there was in their behavior toward each other something that called to Breandan. They didn't treat each other in the casual way of the Fae. They treated each other as if they truly mattered, as if every moment they spent in this life was better because they could share it with their mate. Breandan didn't see it often among humans, but it was the only race where he had, and it made him yearn for something he was sure he couldn't have.

"Why do you look sad?" Marta asked, breaking Breandan from his reverie. "Have we said something to upset you?"

"Of course not," Breandan protested, and then leaned over the table to clasp Marta's wrinkled hand in his own. "It is just seeing you; it makes me wish I had found someone as dear to me as you are to each other. You are very lucky people," and as Breandan said the words, it occurred to him that he meant them. It was a realization that shook him, and he decided it was time to visit the Forts again.

Breandan settled the bill, insisting dinner would be his treat. He pulled his phone from his pocket and started to make calls. His assistant manager, another Fae, would fill in for him for the next week. He checked in with his front desk and left instructions, and then arranged for his car to be available for early the next morning. Before he took off on the short hike, he would take a drive around the peninsula. There were wild places he hadn't seen in some time, and he felt the need of seeing them. He remembered how his Mother loved to stand on the high cliffs, staring into the ocean, and he decided to take the walk up to the hill where she was lost.

The next morning dawned bright and clear. Breandan wore his jeans and walking shoes, skipping breakfast in his hurry to start his day. The car purred on its way around the curves and through the lanes. The places he wished to see were well off the tourist paths. Some required that he park the car and scramble over fences and cross stiles. There was never a problem with landowners. Either they knew him, or they knew what he was, so they turned their faces and pretended not to see him. He reached the high hill where his Mother had passed at mid-morning. He stood within the walls of the place. Of all the forts in this kingdom, this one didn't need glamour. It was as everyone saw it. His Father had allowed it to fall to ruin, content that its crumbling walls should serve as a grave for the dust of his people.

Breandan stood on the grass where he was sure she would have danced and he turned his face toward the sea. He listened to the wind, straining to hear any hint of a voice, but there was nothing. Breandan found himself thinking of his Father. He tried to remember the time when his Mother still lived. He thought about his Father and tried to remember if his Father's treatment of him was different then, but he couldn't remember his Father being any different than he was now. He was King, and that made him apart from everyone, including his son.

"I hope you are in the Summerlands," Breandan said out loud. He didn't know. She would have appeared to her oldest male relative, and those relatives were on the other side of Ireland. If there was a message received, his Father hadn't shared it, but neither had Breandan asked.

The hike down the hill was somehow harder than the hike up. Perhaps it was the rise in humidity, but Breandan was happy to be back in the car with the windows down and the wind racing past him. As he pulled up to the front entrance of the hotel, he could sense something was different. The feeling stayed with him as he walked through the front entrance, and then was confirmed when he entered his office and found his Father seated behind his desk.

"Hello, Son," Rogan was smiling. He had made himself at home and was browsing the day's receipts. "Your staff tells me you are planning on taking a small vacation."

"I was just at the old stronghold," Breandan replied. He didn't feel like sparring with his Father, and he could see his words had an effect.

"I can't bring myself to go there," Rogan said. Breandan nodded. He knew. "Is it much changed?" the King asked.

"It is almost as if it never was," Breandan told him.

"We will always know," Rogan said hotly, and he leaned forward. There was fire in his eyes, and Breandan now knew his Father had come on old business.

"What is it?" Breandan asked.

"I think we've found them," Rogan didn't bother to explain further what was found. Breandan didn't need explanation. There was only one person, or persons, his Father sought.

Breandan seated himself in one of the two chairs facing his desk. He didn't bother to ask his Father to vacate his chair. Rogan may have been his Father, but Rogan was also his King. A woman came into the office carrying a tea service. It would be the herbal tea his Father preferred. All the Fae staff here knew what was expected. Breandan waited until the woman had settled the tray before him and left before pouring out. He offered his father a cup and then poured one for himself. "What do you need me to do?" he asked.

"I need you to go and get them," Rogan replied. "I can't trust anyone else."

"You could go yourself," Breandan pointed out.

"If Niall knows where she is and he has her watched, and why wouldn't he, he would suspect something if I booked a flight there."

"And he wouldn't if I did?" Breandan's eyebrows pulled together. "You are saying 'her.' Do you think it's Adele? It seems unlikely. She would be dead…"

"Unless Niall gave her the gift of eternal life," Rogan explained.

That caused Breandan to pause sipping his tea. He gathered himself and then set the cup and saucer on the desk. "Do you think it is possible?" he asked carefully. "To give it to a human is highly unusual. It is something reserved for heroes of our people. A lover…"

"It would violate our laws," Rogan agreed, "but what Niall did with her violated many laws. The person who found her described a woman much as Adele appeared. Beautiful, blond, blue-eyed."

"This person didn't get a picture?" Breandan asked. Phones with their cameras were everywhere. A photograph seemed likely.

"Selkie," Rogan explained. "He spotted her from the sea and followed her to land. He didn't have time to obtain technology."

"And he is sure it's her?" Breandan was getting the feeling that his Father may have jumped to conclusions.

"He was sure that she was part Fae. Beyond that, there's no way of telling unless someone goes," and Rogan leaned forward.

"And you are determined it should be me." Breandan felt annoyed. His Father could send any number of functionaries. There was no reason he should insist his own son be sent on what would likely turn out to be nothing more than a wild goose chase. He was about to object when something shifted. "Where is this person?" he found himself asking.

"Boston, in the United States," Rogan started to smile.

"Boston," Breandan repeated. He had not been to the United States. He had traveled through Europe many times and sampled parts of Africa, and even Asia, but, for some reason, the United States had not called him, that is, until now.

"I don't know exactly where she lives yet, but we have the name and address of her friend. We know she works at a restaurant outside the city, and she either walks or takes the subway from her home to her job. She is more Fae than expected, which would suggest she is Adele. After all, a hybrid would not be likely to manifest that kind of magic," and Rogan made a dismissive sound. "Of course, you must determine what happened to the child she carried. It's possible it died. Things like that happen often in the United States." Rogan leaned forward, "I need you to find out how many there are and report. We'll figure out how to bring them here once we know with what we're dealing."

"And once they are here?" Breandan asked.

"We convince them to stay with us," Rogan said agreeably. "We gain their trust and consent, and then we let Niall know and we extract whatever we want."

"I don't understand," Breandan told his Father.

"This woman, these people, are the key to my Brother," Rogan's voice took on a decided sneer. "He was willing to do anything for them, even go to war. If we have them under our sword, he will do anything we ask."

"And is that what we'll do? Have them 'under our sword?'" Breandan knew what that meant. These half humans from America would be coddled and petted, spoiled even, but, if Niall didn't play, their role as hostage would be revealed and they would be killed.

Rogan didn't answer. He didn't need to. "You'll go?" he asked.

"As my King commands," Breandan agreed, and it was done.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Breandan didn't leave for Boston for almost a month. Rogan asked his allies to try to find out more about the woman.

The license plate on the car was traced to Amelia Carmichael. The car was registered to her parents' address, but she was also registered as a student at Boston University. It was an easy job to find her on campus and then follow her. Within a week, the private detective firm had a dossier that included where Amelia worked, the name and address of her boyfriend, and some of her preferred nighttime activities.

"The boyfriend is a musician," Rogan observed, then laughing, added, "and he plays Irish music! He is with a band that plays the local bars."

"It seems providential," Breandan shrugged. Breandan, like most Fae, was an accomplished musician. He played most traditional instruments, although he preferred fiddle. He rarely played in public. 'It never did to draw attention to yourself' was a lesson most Fae knew, a lesson Breandan embraced.

"If she's watched or protected, we would need the meet to look natural," Rogan was talking as a way of plotting. Breandan suspected his Father was quickly forgetting his son was even sitting in the same room. "She must consent. Consent is always important. Glamour could help, but if the consent to go with you isn't sincere, the magic won't hold if it needs to."

"If it is Adele, it's unlikely she'll be open to seduction," Breandan observed.

His Father looked up now, his voice sour, "She's human! It's been seventy years. She won't have been celibate all this time, and she was attracted to a Fae before. Why should this be any different?"

"Would you have taken any Fae, Father? Or was Mother special?" Breandan made sure his Father felt the point in the question.

"I would have taken any Fae," his Father replied. "It wasn't until later I realized the gem I had in your Mother. I believe that is how things work with us. We discover with time. We don't realize at once."

"Interesting theory," Breandan shrugged. He felt it was in some ways disloyal to his Mother, but he also knew there was no point in arguing with his Father. About what Rogan wanted, there was never any point.

The Selkies were contacted and arrangements made to shadow Amelia Carmichael again. This time, the assignment was more specific; find the places where the shining woman intersected with the driver of the Jeep.

The Selkies hit pay dirt almost at once. The first night they went to the diner, the shining woman showed up there, too. She was working there, but there was a hitch. Almost at once, she seemed to notice her stalkers. She stared directly at them more than once, so the Selkies quickly paid their check and left, but not before they found out her name, Sookie Stackhouse. Rogan decided to hold off any further surveillance. He didn't want to tip her off too soon.

Rogan shared the report with Breandan, along with a photo snapped while the woman was working another table. "It's her!" he sighed. "I never saw her up close, but I am sure this is Adele!"

Breandan looked at the photo. She was attractive, but nothing special. Her smile was a little crooked and her chest was too big for her body. She had a bubble butt, which Breandan found unfortunate. He preferred women and men with slim hips. "Now what?" he asked.

"We finish arrangements here," his Father was gleeful. "Preston Pardloe is ready?" Preston was Breandan's assistant manager and every bit as meticulous and proficient as Breandan. His family had served the Brigants forever as had most of those in managerial positions in the hotels.

"He is," Breandan sighed. He had already informed his staff he was taking an extended leave of absence. He cited the cover story he and his Father had agreed upon, that he would be heading to Boston to look around. There was an historic tie between Boston and western Ireland. At one time, humans from this part of the world had found their way to Boston, looking for a new life. Now the descendants of those immigrants returned to spend their American cash here, looking for their roots.

The cover story Breandan would use once he was in Boston was one of a young man of means scouting possible business opportunities for his family business and spending a little leisure time before he got down to the serious job of taking things over. It was a story that hinted of money, comfort, and availability. "It would get any female sniffing," his Father chortled.

"So, there's no way to get me living closer to her?" Breandan asked. His Father had arranged for a flat just outside of Boston across the hall from Amelia Carmichael's boyfriend. The relationship between the two seemed serious and Rogan felt that being introduced as a friend of the boyfriend would ease any suspicions.

"She seems to be in a small neighborhood, living on the second floor of a former home. We think she's got someone else living there with her, maybe the child, but we haven't seen anyone with her." Rogan shuffled through the papers, "There's a landlord. He's disabled. He lives there, too, but he seems to stay on the first floor. No," and Rogan seemed to read to papers in front of him, although it could be his just taking time to think things through, "it's definitely another person up there with her. I have set a guardian to keep an eye on her. If she moves before things are ready, we will be alerted."

A date was set and Breandan started the job of packing. He would drop the persona of Thomas O'Hara. Instead, he would become Breandan O'Hara. Usually he eased into new names. It wasn't easy, answering to a name that wasn't yours. Using his real name was a risk, but it was safer than stumbling.

Breandan looked at himself in the mirror. The grey would be gone. He would look young again and, for some reason, Breandan decided that for this trip, he'd drop most of his glamour. He wanted to look like himself. He couldn't account for it, but Breandan wanted to spend time, some vacation time, without the false feel of masques.

His Father and he had talked about this. If it was Adele, he would have to change identities once he was there, finding out what persona would be most attractive, and then manufacturing a way to become that person. Seduction was a key tool in any Fae's arsenal, and everyone knew humans were most compliant when they were in love but, for now, Breandan would use the guise of a younger, college-age man of means to wend his way into the lives of those this woman had gathered around her.

"Will you miss me?" Breandan had been so intent on his own thoughts he hadn't heard Claude enter, but he rarely did. Claude was so much a part of him, his cousin's presence never raised any alarm.

"How did you hear?" Breandan asked. For a minute, Breandan wondered if Claude knew the full extent of his mission, but then he dismissed the idea. The only two who really knew why he was headed to Boston were him and his Father.

"Everyone on your staff is buzzing about this. You know," and Claude stepped forward, cupping Breandan's cheek with his pale, long-fingered hand, "you could have asked me to come with you. Or, is it that you need a vacation from me, too?"

Breandan stared into his cousin's forget-me-not blue eyes, his lovely mouth, and then leaned forward to kiss him. Claude sighed and the heat between them quickly flared, but it was Breandan who pulled back, and he could see the hurt in Claude's eyes. "You haven't been to see me for a very long time," Breandan reminded Claude. "You told me you had to pursue your 'other interests.' I respect that you told me we can't be exclusive, cousin. Now show me the same respect. Allow me to pursue some 'other' interests of my own."

"You've met someone?" Claude hissed.

"No," Breandan shook his head. "No, no one in particular. I just need a change of scenery."

"Are you jealous?" and Claude looked almost triumphant. In that moment, Breandan didn't love him so much.

"No," he said flatly, "I gave up jealousy with you, Claude. Being jealous every time you fall to your knees in front of someone else would be a full-time occupation." Breandan realized he was becoming angry, so he stopped himself by saying, "Let's just agree that pretending we could ever be enough for each other is just that, pretending," and he turned back to his suitcase.

Claude walked closer, running his fingers across the curve of Breandan's ass, making the Fae's cock waken. "So, how long will you be gone?" he whispered in Breandan's ear.

There was something about all this that awoke some suspicion in Breandan's mind, "Why do you care?" he asked and deliberately stepped away. "It occurs to me I haven't seen you in some time. You haven't called or made any effort to contact me. You have fed me nothing but silence and now, when I'm getting ready to take a trip for my own purposes, now you show up with questions. Why, Claude?" and Breandan stepped forward, grabbing Claude's forearm and pulling him so they were face to face. "Why? Is this interest more than just two 'old friends' catching up? Are you running errands for your Daddy?"

"My Father and I barely speak!" Claude hissed, pulling his arm away, his mouth downturned.

"You did fight against him," Breandan reminded his cousin.

"Many ages ago," Claude snapped back. "And since then, I've been a model son."

"The memory of the Fae is long," Breandan quoted an old saying.

"Fine," Claude pouted, clearly changing direction, "Keep your secret. We could still have mind-blowing sex for a few days."

"What's happened, Claude?" Breandan smiled, "Your latest truck driver thrown you aside? Or has the bricklayer gone back to his wife?"

"You're an asshole!" Claude hissed. "No one leaves me!"

"Of course," Breandan nodded before saying bitterly, "Not even your loving cousin." Breandan looked around the room and sighed. "I'm leaving in five days. I have things I must finish packing and final arrangements to make. If all you are offering me is sex, I'm not interested." He turned back to his cousin who looked crestfallen, and then almost remorseful.

"I did come here to tease you," Claude admitted, "but I can see you are resolved. Perhaps dinner, then? We could catch up. Did I tell you I saw your Lady Wife in Morocco?"

As things turned out, they did end up in bed, fueled by Scotch and nostalgia. Breandan found he couldn't sleep afterward. He stared up at the ceiling, Claude draped across him, snoring softly. ' _Does nothing new await me?_ ' he wondered. ' _Is this all my existence will ever be?_ ' For some reason, he thought of Marta and Dieter, his German guests, and how they had been. ' _What I would give to find someone who sees me as you do each other_ ,' he thought. It was many hours until dawn, and after breakfast, he sent Claude on his way.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Days passed, then weeks. The leaves had changed from dull green to blazing colors and the hint of crispness in the air was consistent enough that Sookie closed the windows at night, instead of leaving them opened. Of course, being in the City, the windows didn't open far in the first place but, even with mere inches, Sookie's toes were like icicles in the morning.

Mother's second round of chemotherapy had started. The researchers told them the plan was for six rounds to be followed by radiation. After this round, though, they'd be doing some scans. If there was no sign of a tumor, things would continue. However, if the tumor reappeared, there would be other discussions, and the way it was said made clear those discussions would likely lead to less pleasant things.

That wasn't to say chemo was pleasant in any way. Their apartment resembled some crazy kind of pharmacy. One counter in the kitchen was lined with large bottles of pills Sookie divided into so many doses over so many days. There was one kind for one day, and then another for a span of days. Twice during this month Sookie and Michele would be taking the ride to Dana Farber for a different drug injected using a shunt that was permanently implanted too close to Michelle's spinal column for Sookie's comfort.

Sookie would either bring in the pill at breakfast, or, for most of them, remind her mother to take it before she went to bed. As her mother's forgetfulness increased, another side effect of chemo, Sookie started writing notes she'd tape to the bedside lamp.

At first, the routine made Sookie anxious, which was something Sookie wasn't used to feeling. She was the responsible one, she was the one who arranged things to make sure her and her Mother's lives worked, but the life they now led seemed as if it was nothing but one long series of terrible surprises. In the beginning, Sookie had worried she would never get control of it, but now, all too soon, she felt herself settle into something that started to feel normal and that felt worst of all.

The day on the island seemed very far away. From time to time, Sookie would catch herself looking out the window or absently stirring sugar into coffee, dreaming about her life before the cancer. She remembered sunshine and laughter. Things that had seemed hard at the time, like finding scholarships or studying for finals, seemed easy now.

Sookie spent her nights working. Pat and Fran asked about her mother and shared experiences they'd had, caring for relatives with illnesses. Amelia remained friendly, willing to help, but there was nothing Sookie could ask of her. The things that needed doing were small things, but they were as many as ants and they never let up.

When the day came to go to the hospital, Sookie wondered how any day could feel so long. First, her Mother was injected with anti-nausea medications. They waited for over an hour, and then started the slow drip, drip of the poison that was supposed to put the cancer cells that created tumors to sleep.

There had been much discussion over whether to do chemotherapy at all. The tumor her Mother had was aggressive, but the preliminary tests for the combination of drugs they were using had been promising, and so Sookie's Mother decided to go with the recommendation of the team working with them. Sookie worried that her Mother's decision was more about cost than belief in the approach but, when Sookie asked her point blank, Michele told her she was being crazy.

"You think I'd do something to purposely to leave you alone?" her Mother challenged her. "What kind of a mother would that make me?"

Sookie let it go, but she couldn't stop wondering if her Mother had already decided that since she was not going to be cured, she'd make sure she cost the least amount of money.

That had been the hardest part of all this, wrapping her head around the fact her Mother would never be well again. "It's not the kind of cancer that ever goes away," the doctors explained. "This is rare and there's no proven treatment. The best we can hope for is finding a way to make the cells go dormant."

"How long would that give me?" Sookie's Mother asked.

"We don't know," the doctor told her. "Could be years. Could be months."

"Best case?" Michele pressed them, and Sookie marveled at how her Mother could ask these questions so calmly.

"Five years is your best outcome," the doctor told her. Michele held out her hand and he shook it. It was the bravest thing Sookie had ever seen her Mother do until now.

Sookie sat beside her Mother and together they talked until Michele's eyes closed. That was another fact of chemotherapy. Her Mother was exhausted. She would sleep for many more hours during the day than she was up. Just walking from her bed to the bathroom was so taxing, it left her Mother gasping for breath. Sookie worried about Michele needing to get up in the night to pee and being so tired she'd stumble and fall, breaking something.

A nurse came by, adjusting the blanket over her Mother. "She's doing really good," she told Sookie.

Sookie smiled, but what she wanted to do was yell, ' _Compared to what? She's under a death sentence and you're making her feel like shit every day! What's good about that?_ ' Instead, Sookie stretched her lips into a smile and said, "Thanks, I think so, too."

When they returned home the next morning, Michele was chilled. Sookie piled blankets on her and monitored her temperature all day. Infection was a constant worry, but when she woke the next morning, her Mother was sleeping more normally. By that afternoon, her Mother said, "Why don't you go into work tonight? You know you're on the schedule. I'm fine. I'll be drifting back to sleep in a little bit and I doubt I'm going to be waking up again. I'm just so tired!"

Sookie was mortified when she had to struggle to keep the relief off her face. She needed to get out the house. She needed to get away from the sight and smell of sickness, and she felt guilty that she felt that way after just twenty-four hours of concentrated cancer care.

"Go on!" her Mother was insisting. "I need a break from you, and if I do wake up, I have the television in my room. I'll just go through the million and one channels you insist on paying for!"

Sookie took a shower and was heading down the stairs almost a full hour before her shift was supposed to start. Pat and Fran had put her on the schedule, but told Sookie if she needed another night to let them know. Sookie realized she had been deliberately holding off on making the call; that somewhere deep down she wanted to be out of the house and away from this. She wanted to be 'in charge' Sookie for a few hours, even if all she oversaw were her tables and the orders she brought.

Sookie finished around three in the morning and when she walked up the street toward her apartment, the thugs were back in the playground. She kept her head down, but tonight one of them started walking toward her. "Hey!" he shouted, "Yeah, you, Blondie! Why don't you say hello? Too special or something?"

Sookie started walking faster. She heard one of his friends say, "Leave her alone."

"All I want is some company," the stranger said, "and she should be nice to me." Sookie felt her blood run cold and she tried to pick up her pace. He was on the other side of the fence and they were approaching the place where the stairs joined the sidewalk. He started to run a little and she knew he would catch her when out of nowhere, a black dog was at the stairs. He was looking at the man and he growled. There wasn't much light on this part of the street, but Sookie could see the hair on the back of the dog's neck bristle.

"What the…" the man cursed, and Sookie saw him step back from the corner of her eye.

Sookie didn't stop. She kept going as fast as she could. She could hear a commotion behind her and, for a minute, she worried about the dog. She ran up her steps and fumbled with the keys. As the last bolt slid open, she listened to the quiet. She realized she'd been waiting for the sound of the dog crying or something worse, a gunshot, but she didn't hear a sound, so she glanced over her shoulder.

What she saw made her hand still. Under the streetlight at the fence, where her walk joined the sidewalk, sat the black dog. It seemed to notice she was looking its way because it yawned wide, and then laid down across the gate that led to the house. Sookie couldn't explain it, but it's being there made her feel safe.

Sookie stepped inside the house and quickly ran up the stairs. There was some leftover hamburger from last night and she crumbled it on a plate, then laid a piece of cheese over it. She grabbed a bowl and poured some water into it, then walked back down the stairs and carefully opened the front door.

The dog was still there and it lifted its head and watched her as she walked down the path toward it. Sookie hadn't appreciated how big the animal was. It's large, broad head seemed almost as big as hers and it growled low while she approached.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she said in her cheeriest voice. She thought of the little bird that used to come sing to her in Pennsylvania and she thought as hard as she could about how much she liked the dog. As if it could sense her thoughts, the dog stopped growling and instead, cocked its massive head to the side and started panting. It was loud, and it rose to all four legs once Sookie was within a few feet. "You sure are a big boy!" Sookie tried to sound brave, but she was starting to have doubts.

Determined, she stopped about a foot from the dog and breaking eye contact, stooped down to lay the plate and the bowl in front of the animal. When she looked up, she found the dog almost nose to nose with her and she leaned back quickly. "Boy!" she exclaimed, "You sure do like getting in folk's personal space!" and almost without thinking, she raised her hand and stroked the dog's head. She could have sworn the dog was just as surprised as she was by her actions. It didn't jump, but it stared at her for a long minute before turning its head into her hand, and then leaning down to snuffle and then lap at the water.

"Good dog," Sookie said as much to herself as to the animal, and then turning, she walked back up the path and into the silent house.


	6. Chapter 5 - Stepping In

**Chapter 5 – Stepping In**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Breandan scanned the faces and signs at the barrier as he exited the Arrivals Area of Logan Airport. It didn't take long. The driver was someone his Father had arranged, just as he'd arranged everything else. The man stepped forward to take over the cart with Breandan's luggage. He'd purposely packed heavy this time. Of course, he could buy what he needed, but the grade of clothing here in the U.S. was different. Breandan's cover was a young man straight over from Ireland, and clothes helped to sell that kind of story. What he didn't have on the cart was his instrument case. The news that the boyfriend was in an Irish band suggested the perfect way to introduce himself, and so Breandan brought his own fiddle from home.

Breandan stood to the side, allowing the driver to walk past him with the cart, but as he did, the driver handed the Fae a large clasped envelope. Breandan tucked it under his arm. He would examine the contents once he was in the back of the vehicle. "Nice trip?" the driver asked. He had a slight Irish accent and Breandan looked at him more closely.

"It was fine," he answered. Breandan pressed him. There weren't many Fae in the United States. It wasn't that the place was hostile to their kind, just that it had its own spirits and traditions. There had been more than a few Fae living here during a certain time. They followed the migrations from Ireland, but as their believers and lovers died, succumbing to age, the Fae returned to their own kind.

The driver's eyes became slightly glassy, and Breandan was satisfied he was in no way supernatural. Releasing him, Breandan followed up with, "Not here long yourself, then?"

"Over a year," the man grinned. "College, and hoping to find a job that will keep me here. Fine city."

Breandan returned the nod and then turned his attention inward. He was not tired. Flying in this direction rarely tired him. It was the journey back against the time zones that was fatiguing. Following the driver, they made their way to the waiting area where limos could sit while their drivers, like this one, fetched and carried for their fancy passengers. The evening was still fine, but there was a hint of colder nights to come. "You'll be staying here long?" the driver asked. Breandan flicked his eyes toward the young man. Breandan had already changed his appearance to that of someone much younger. His new passport showed his younger face and placed his age at twenty-four, but the hair in the picture was much shorter. Breandan knew it wasn't much done anymore, but he decided to retain his actual look, including long, straight hair that hung over his shoulders. At the moment, it was tied up in a way that was earning him appreciative looks, but it also seemed to be inviting too much familiarity from the driver.

"I haven't decided," Breandan said, then immediately, "I understand you have my itinerary. I'm tired, so how many stops are planned?"

They were at the limo and the driver flicked the remote to open the trunk. "Only two," he said, understanding they were back to business. "There's an office downtown. I'm supposed to circle the car and wait for you, and then there's the apartment."

"Good," and Breandan opened the door, not waiting for the driver. He sat down inside, shut the door, and settled back. Keeping his eyes trained outside, Breandan waited until they were moving before opening the envelope. Inside there were keys, credit cards, and several photographs. The photos showed the woman he knew was his target. These were clearer than the one his Father had shown him. She looked much younger, and although it was possible she was Adele, Breandan doubted it. There was something about being immortal, even though your features were young, you wore the face of an ancient. This woman looked tired, she looked stressed, but she didn't look immortal. There was another picture toward the end that showed her walking beside another woman, helping her into a medical transport. ' _A relative_ ,' Breandan thought. He was sure from the way the other woman looked that she was the one who needed medical help.

They pulled up to the iconic bank building in the financial district. The card Breandan found in the envelope directed him to a name, suite number, and time. Walking into the building, Breandan checked through Security and headed for the fifteenth floor. He found himself fretting about his fiddle, left in the back seat of the limo. While he didn't carry it often, he found he was uneasy when it wasn't somewhere he knew to be safe. His music was a part of him, much as it had been a part of his Mother. She had given him this fiddle herself and he felt its music was a little more inspired because of its tie to her.

When he walked up to the glass double doors of the suite number listed on his card, a discrete buzzer sounded and he walked through. "The second door on the left," a sleek receptionist informed him, her eyes barely flicking up. Breandan turned in the direction she motioned and found himself in a small conference room. There was a tall, blond man standing at the dark window and Breandan immediately recognized him as one of the Unseelie, a Fae, but not like him.

The Fae of Europe were divided into two great groups. The Seelie, the shining ones, were the group Breandan's family ruled. All the great Fae, those tall and most attractive belonged to the Seelie. They were social Fae. They lived in groups and enjoyed great gatherings. They resembled humans and enjoyed living among them. It wouldn't be fair to say that the Seelie were the most learned, or the most accomplished, well, not exactly. The man in front of him, for example, looked as if he might be less crass than some, but while the Seelie might not claim being superior, Breandan was comfortable in his sure knowledge that it was something everyone just knew.

The Unseelie, like this creature, were solitary Fae. They tended to live apart from others. There was usually some aspect of their being that kept them from easily blending with the populations around them. This one, a vampire, could blend a bit, but his need to feed on humans ensured he could never truly be able to walk easily among them. Breandan and Rogan's allies, the Selkies, were also Unseelie. They were more comfortable at sea in their animal guise than walking the land on two legs. There were others who belonged to the Unseelie: the pookahs, the leprechaun, the banshees. Most were rare now, even in Ireland. The vampires persisted because they had perfected their ability to hide and resisted the need to create enough of their kind to require notice. The Selkies persisted because they stayed far away from humans when they could.

Breandan and his Father had a good idea of the number of the Seelie. They kept in better touch these days, using Internet and other technology. Even the kingdoms left in other parts of Europe were becoming familiar, and it was a comfort to many of them. The Unseelie? No one knew their numbers. Breandan had heard they had their own royalty, their own Courts, but he had never spent enough time with any of them to find out for certain.

That's not to say they were exactly strangers. They recognized each other on sight. This one, for example, was someone Breandan had met from Ireland.

"Welcome to Boston," the giant greeted him.

"I take it you're working for my Father?" Breandan asked.

"I am doing a job for your Father," the giant corrected, then bowed, "Eric Northman."

"I know you," Breandan told him. "You are associated with one of the pubs in Carrack." The bar was several streets over from his Father's key hotel. It had a less than savory reputation, but it was popular for the music it offered and the taste of danger it's clientele preferred.

"I am the owner," Eric acknowledged.

"How did my Father get you over here?" Breandan asked.

"A debt," Eric answered. "I am working it off, keeping an eye on the woman you are here to meet."

"You've spoken with her?" Breandan asked.

"No, not exactly," Eric shook his head. He pushed some paperwork toward Breandan. "She works with this woman, Amelia Carmichael," and Eric pointed to a picture of a pleasant-looking woman with short, curly brown hair. "I understand this Amelia was your first point of contact. Amelia is the girlfriend of this man," and the giant pushed forward a second picture. The man looked to be about the same age Breandan was portraying. Black hair, light eyes, and a hint of spoil about the smile. "Sean Callahan. He's a student, same as the girlfriend. They both attend Boston University. He's in the MBA program and interns with a money management firm. His family comes from money. They both do. The relationship is solid and she spends nights with him at his apartment. Your apartment will be across the hall. You may have heard, he's a musician. Your Father has suggested you may be using that."

"Is he passable?" Breandan smirked. He doubted Eric Northman had that kind of information, but the giant surprised him.

"He is good and he has a local band that plays clubs and bars popular with college students," and Eric looked at Breandan in a way that told the Fae the vampire knew what he was thinking. It was just that moment, but the smugness of it set Breandan's teeth on edge. He was about to say something when the vampire cut him off by pushing a third photograph his way and saying, "But the woman is your true target. Sookie Stackhouse. I have listed the name of the restaurant where she works along with the address. Her shift hours are also there. She was a student, but she has withdrawn from her university and now she works full-time."

"Why?" Breandan studied the maps and copies of bank accounts included with the materials.

"Her mother," Eric told him. "She's sick. They are living together, and I believe Sookie is taking care of her. The mother goes to medical appointments and to a cancer center near their apartment. She smells of death."

"The Mother?" Breandan confirmed, and then looked at a birth certificate. "Sookie? It's an unusual name." When the man across the table didn't add anything, Breandan asked, "Is she Fae?"

"Sookie? Yes, in part, but I don't think she's aware of it," Eric answered.

"And the mother?" Breandan followed up.

"No, the mother is human. The disease she has is wasting her," and Eric waited again.

"Typical if the father was Fae and left her," Breandan observed. The man made a sound and Breandan found himself looking up at Eric Northman. It was curious. The Unseelie as a rule didn't like humans any more than his own people. The Seelie did, and yet, he could sense a certain disapproval. "Is Sookie aware of you?" he asked directly.

"No," Eric said quickly, then "No," again. "She sees me, though."

"That's odd," Breandan nodded, and then making his dismissal clear, said, "Well, thank you. How much longer are you expected to stay here and watch her?"

"Until your Father is satisfied you have the situation well in hand," It was a bold answer and Breandan looked sharply at the man who merely smiled and shrugged.

"I see," Breandan answered. "And I suppose my Father will be the judge of that."

"As you say," the giant answered. He didn't look at all apologetic, but that was the Unseelie. They gave themselves airs and thought nothing of tweaking their betters.

"Fine," Breandan picked up the papers, "Then I expect I'll see you from time to time," and he turned to leave.

"What are you going to do about her?" Eric Northman asked. It was an impertinent question, but there was something in the man's voice.

"Why do you care?" Breandan asked.

"She's nice," Eric told him. "Kind. I'm not sure why your Father is interested in her, or you, but she is not like others."

"I suggest you remember you have a debt to pay off," Breandan said shortly. "You should stick to your job and I'll stick to mine," and Breandan turned and walked away, refusing to look behind him to see if the giant followed.

Breandan found himself thinking about the vampire's words. ' _Not like others_.' By the time they reached the apartment building on Commonwealth Avenue though, Breandan had half-convinced himself that Eric Northman said it just to cause mischief. After all, that was the way of the Unseelie, the solitary ones. They sowed discord and reveled in trouble. One could barely recognize them as Fae at all. This one had all the markings of a bloodsucker. Of course, he could appear in day if he needed to, but only if it was overcast. Eric Northman would have a hard time in bright sunlight. There was a rumor it was lethal to his kind, and it was, but only after a prolonged period of exposure. Vampires didn't spontaneously combust or transform into some blue light. No, a vampire exposed to direct sunlight writhed and suffered. It went on for a long time before they finally died. Breandan had seen it more than once over the many years of his existence, and it bolstered what everyone knew; it was never easy to kill a Fae.

Breandan texted his driver from the bank lobby and he promptly received the answering text. The car was at the sidewalk and soon Breandan was riding the elevator to the top of the four-floor brownstone and standing in front of the door of the apartment that would be his while he stayed here in the city.

The apartment was what Breandan expected. It was too upscale for a young man, even a young man of means, and Breandan began to make mental notes about the changes he would need to make. For now, he could use the cover that the apartment really belonged to his Father. The doorman left his suitcases in the hallway and Breandan propped the door open, shuffling things inside.

A quick survey showed the kitchen was already provisioned and there were fresh towels hung in the bathroom. The large bed in the single bedroom was made and the windows looked out over the city street and the green median park. Sean Callahan, the man Breandan would need to meet, had the apartment directly across from his. His view would be the less favorable one, but one needed mad money to live well in Boston these days, and Breandan's family had that.

Another annoyance was that the closets and drawers were full. Breandan started the job of pulling things out, looking at them, and deciding what he would keep and what he would throw down the garbage chute. The fact that the labels cost more than some families made in a week didn't bother Breandan at all. He was Fae. He worked to have something to do, not because he needed to. If he ran short, he could petition his Father, and Rogan would pull cash from the seemingly inexhaustible vault that fueled his family.

Sorting and putting away took close to an hour, and Breandan loaded the extra clothes and shoes into large plastic bags and headed out to the hall. He ran into a couple walking toward them. The woman held a guitar case. He watched them as they stopped at the door across from his and knocked. When the door opened, Breandan could hear the sound of a mandolin and his lips curved.

It was all too easy. Breandan knocked and introduced himself as the new neighbor. Sean remarked on his accent. Breandan expressed interest in their playing music and asked if he could sit in. Within an hour they were playing together, Breandan easily slipping into the songs that tourists all over the world seemed to enjoy.

There was another man there who also played fiddle. It was immediately apparent that Breandan was far better than him and the man became testy and critical. "Don't worry, Greg!" Sean scolded his friend. "Breandan's my new neighbor. He's not looking to take your place in the band! We're friends, Greg! Breandan's just new here."

Breandan toned down his playing, and Greg stopped his carping. It was after midnight when the door opened and the woman with the brown hair Breandan knew to be Amelia let herself in. She was wearing a waitress uniform, and she was greeted by everyone there. It was obvious she was a regular resident.

"This is my new neighbor, Breandan O'Hara," Sean told Amelia. "He just moved in across the hall, and he's a wizard with a fiddle," a remark that earned Breandan another poisonous look from Greg.

Amelia settled herself in Sean's lap, making him set aside his mandolin, and she leaned across to shake Breandan's hand. "Wow! Beautiful!" she announced.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Breandan purred in his best brogue.

"And a panty-melter! Tell me you're not taken!" and Amelia fanned herself.

"But you are!" Sean tickled her and she wiggled in that way human females thought was cute.

"I am here to take a look around before I go into the family business full-time," Breandan told her. "Sowing oats, I suppose you'd say, but, no, no girlfriends."

"Boyfriends?" Amelia asked boldly.

"No, none of those either," Breandan smiled and he winked.

"Oh, I have got to get you out and about," Amelia stated. She turned to Sean, "When are you guys playing again? We should invite Breandan. I'll aim him at every skank female who even looks your way and it will be game over. You will be mine, all mine!"

"I am yours, already, Crazy Lady," Sean announced, and he kissed her openly in front of all his friends. Breandan noticed they didn't seem to see anything strange or embarrassing about the couple's behavior, even when Sean placed his hand on Amelia's knee and inched it up under her dress. For her part, Amelia acted as if she didn't notice, leaning forward to grab snacks from the table and taking a swig from Sean's beer.

"It is time to wrap this up," Sean announced, and the others in the room started to gather their things.

Sean stood, too, tumbling Amelia onto the floor, and then helping her to stand in the same motion. "It was great meeting you, Breandan," he was saying. "You around tomorrow? We do this every night."

"I am between things for a bit," Breandan told his host. "I don't have anything official to do for at least a week, and I was wondering how I'd keep myself busy." He looked at Amelia, "Perhaps you and Amelia could offer some suggestions." For an instant, Breandan considered what having the couple in bed might be like. They were attractive enough, but he just as quickly dismissed the idea. Breandan had a mission and sleeping with the woman's friends could create problems later.

"Classes tomorrow," Sean shrugged, and added, "Amelia, too, but we're usually back here right after lunch. We could take you on a walk around."

"That would be grand!" Breandan announced, and he took Amelia's hand and leaned over it, brushing her knuckles with his lips. "Until then," he flirted up at her, and then smiled just as broadly at Sean.

As was expected, he called his Father that night. Rogan was pleased with his progress, "And what did you think of Northman?" he asked.

"Was I supposed to think about him?" Breandan easily answered. "He had information. He seems amenable enough. What exactly is he being paid to do?"

"Watch her," his Father replied. "She's renting. She could leave and it would waste time to try and find her again. She could change jobs. He keeps tabs."

"How exactly is he doing that?" Breandan asked again. "I can't see some young woman not being suspicious of a tall, blond man lingering around outside her home.

"I'm assuming he's taking animal shape. They do, you know, vampires. They aren't as flexible as Weres, but they can assume certain animals. Bats, for example." Breandan started laughing. It was comical, thinking of the tall man becoming a small, furry flying thing. "What I do know is his reports are adequate and she's still where you can find her," his Father concluded.

That night, Breandan stood at the windows overlooking the quiet city street. It was quite late, but he relied on the soundproofing in the walls to keep his neighbors from complaining. He pulled out his fiddle and played a quiet song from his youth, thinking about what was needed. This Sookie was probably young. She was caring for an ailing parent and had dropped out of school. That would cause her to be vulnerable, something he could exploit. There had been no sign of a boyfriend, but with her current schedule and cares, it would be difficult for her to meet anyone, let alone maintain a relationship. She had a warm heart, enough so that she'd impressed a vampire, and that said a lot.

Breandan rolled to a faster tune. She would have to consent to coming to Ireland. She would have to want to be there, and the easiest way would be for her to want to be with him. That part sounded easy. It would need to be more than just glamour, she would have to really want him, but again, he was Fae. Humans were naturally attracted to him. Pushing the woman to something a little bit more wouldn't be hard. The complicated part was, with an ailing parent, she would be reluctant to leave, and sick people didn't travel long distances without some compelling reason. Breandan briefly considered helping her mother find the death the vampire mentioned smelling on her, but then decided to wait until he'd had time to study the situation. Forming attachments took time. Bouncing from an appreciative lover to a needy parent could create a catalyst for what Breandan wanted.

Instead, Breandan's thoughts turned to Greg, the sniveling, under-par fiddler in Sean's band. Far better to manufacture an unfortunate accident that would remove that pile of shit and then step into the hole it created. He could see himself standing in as a band member, the woman's face never suspecting she was the reason he was here. She would assume that of all the women who stared, she was the one he wanted. It would be tempting for any human, appealing to their natural insecurities.

Breandan set down his fiddle and closed his eyes. He recalled Greg's face and summoned an ill wish. It wasn't something he did often. Bringing bad things around you had a way of lingering, but the risk was worth it. With a quick purse of his lips, Breandan blew the ill wish on its way. He could almost see it, like oil in the air, moving with increasing speed under the streetlights of the city.

 **XxxXXXxxx**

"I can't believe you got Pat to give us both the night off," Sookie said for the fifth time.

"Pat's a great guy," Amelia shrugged, "and he and Fran really like you. When I told him how much you like Irish music, he offered to pay our cover charge, I swear!"

"I'm really grateful," Sookie smiled, "It's been a long time since I've done anything just for myself, and this is, well, I appreciate it." Sookie couldn't help feeling a little guilty. Her Mother was better, largely recovered from the last round of chemo, but she was weak and had trouble doing as much as walking up and down the stairs. She offered to stay home several times, but each time her Mother laughed, telling her to not stay out all night and to remember to lock all the doors when she got back.

"Oh, shit!" Amelia pushed her shoulder. "You're going to make me tear up like a baby. Believe me, this is entirely selfish. I want Sean to fix you up before he figures out you're a better choice than me, and this place is one target-rich environment."

"You really like him, don't you?" Sookie asked.

"A lot," Amelia nodded, "Well, a lot for not knowing him as well as I should," and Amelia did the one-shoulder shrug she gave when she felt she'd been caught out. "He's cute, though, and talented and he kisses like a champ, and what he does in bed…"

"Yeah, yeah," Sookie blushed, "I get the idea. Jeez, you give everyone the idea every time he comes into the diner!"

"Somehow I get the feeling you could use a few more of those ideas! You live your life like you're some nun. It's not natural. A girl needs to get some action! You don't want to be growing cobwebs up there!" Amelia joked, and they stepped off the T into Kenmore Square in Cambridge. It was a short walk from the station to Flaherty's. From the street, it didn't look like much, but there was a line out front. Amelia pulled Sookie past the front door, and then down a short alley to a second door where she knocked twice. The door swung open, "We're with the band," Amelia told the man at the door.

They were shown to a table near the back of the pub, but near dead center with the stage. There were others sitting there, and Amelia took no time in greeting the friends she knew and figuring out what every other person's relationship was to each of the band members. Sookie found out that the guitar player's sister never missed a performance, and the drummer, Jimmy, was married and his wife always came. There were other people, too, friends of the guitar player, Kiernan, and a couple women who were here for the new fiddle player. Some of those at the table had Irish accents that sounded straight off the boat, and others not so much. No one said they were there for Sean and Sookie noticed Amelia's look of relief.

Amelia shot up in her too-animated way and sashayed over to the bar to get them both beers. As she was returning, Sean walked out from a hallway beside the stage and bee-lined over to them. "You made it," he said, looking only at Amelia, and he took the mugs from her hand, set them on the table, and snaked his arms around her. He kissed her in front of everyone. It was a strangely intimate moment and Sookie averted her eyes. "And you came!" Sean whispered in Sookie's ear, making her jump.

"Thanks for inviting me," Sookie stammered, hoping her manners covered the burn she felt in her cheeks.

"Well, we'll see if you're thanking me later," Sean joked. "I've made bets with Jimmy, my drummer," and Sean winked at the woman Sookie now knew was Jimmy's wife. "There are two men about town in the band and both could use a lady love, so we have a bet running over which of my knuckle-headed bandmates makes the first move on you."

"I'm not really looking for a boyfriend!" Sookie stammered. She saw the nasty looks several of the women at the table shot her way. "I just came out for tonight. I…really… I wish you wouldn't!"

"Don't tell us who you bet on!" Amelia was laughing. "If you tell me, I'm going to have to side with you, and that just wouldn't be fair! Let Breandan and Kiernan figure it out on their own, and may the best romancer win!"

"You're a cold woman!" Sean teased her and taking a last kiss, headed back toward the stage as the lights flashed twice.

Sookie leaned over to Amelia who was busy finger-waving and bouncing in that way she had. "I don't think this is a good idea!" she hissed. "I am not interested in getting involved right now. I don't care how nice the guy is. You know my situation. I don't have time to start a relationship!"

"Who's talking about a relationship?" Amelia was laughing, making it obvious she wasn't going to take Sookie's protests seriously. She looked over Sookie's shoulder to see one of the women who had mentioned Breandan earlier glaring venom, "You can just shove off!" she leaned forward. "I know he doesn't even know your name and if you want to keep it that way, you can just stay there and keep looking your dagger eyes!" The woman glared at her friend, then together they rose and walked over to the bar.

"That's what I mean," Sookie sighed. "I don't need a lot of drama right now. I get enough of that just walking to my front door every night. I just wanted to come out and have a nice time with my friend listening to music."

Amelia settled and turned to Sookie, "It won't be like that," she assured her friend. "I know Kiernan well. This is his sister," and Amelia made sure the two women shook hands. "Your brother is a gentleman, right?" she asked the woman.

"Unless you ask him not to be," the woman winked. "Amelia tells me you're a peach. If you do decide to take pity on him, I'd be happy. He could use a nice girl in his life. His taste so far has been crappy!"

"The guy who wins Sookie is getting a real prize!" Amelia gushed, causing Sookie to cringe. "She's quiet, hard-working, and puts her family first. She's just about the nicest person I know. Even when I'm a total bitch, she's nice as can be, but she doesn't let folks walk on her either! I had some real assholes at the restaurant the other day and she walked over and basically threatened them. You should have seen her! They were twice our size, but she put them in their place, and sent them packing!"

"It wasn't like that!" Sookie protested.

"I was there!" Amelia laughed. "You were a one-woman superhero squad!" Sookie let the two women laugh and covered her embarrassment by looking away. "But, if I were to put my money down," Amelia continued, "I'd say you'll fall for Breandan O'Hara. Tall, long hair, dreamy eyes. Straight off the boat with an accent you could spoon off him! And gorgeous? I hate to say it, but Greg's accident was our gain."

"Poor guy," Kiernan's sister said. "I heard he fell off his bike?"

"Broke his hand," Amelia nodded. "He's back in school, but he won't be playing fiddle for a long time."

"Good thing Breandan moved in then," the woman replied.

"Go figure," Amelia shrugged, and then they all turned to the stage as the lights went up.

The first group was a warm-up act of sorts. They didn't get onstage, but instead gathered at tables and chairs in a circle down in front. Amelia explained to Sookie they were the house band and they played here almost every night, different musicians dropping in and dropping out, depending on who was in the City. There was a fiddle and a mandolin. Someone pulled out a concertina and there were two guitars. The music was lively enough that Sookie's foot was tapping. After about twenty minutes, a man came out on the stage and announced Sean's band. There was a lot of clapping and loud hooting. "They are really popular!" Amelia leaned over, yelling at Sookie over the noise of the crowd.

It didn't take long for Sookie to understand why. The music was traditional, but, unlike the house band, it was accompanied by strong vocals. Sean played mandolin and Kieran, who played guitar, was the front man, but it was the dark-haired fiddler who captured Sookie's attention. His fingers flew up and down the neck of the instrument. His eyes watched his fellow musicians, and he mimicked and then complimented their musical lines. When the song came to a chorus, he and Sean would step up to microphones, backing Kiernan, their voices blending so cleanly it was hard for Sookie to distinguish any one.

They played songs of longing and songs of protest. When they played "Come Out You Black & Tan," the whole bar stood with them, yelling the chorus with such defiance you might have believed they lived in Ireland and understood The Troubles. When they played Stan Rogers' version of "Mary Ellen Carter," Sookie found herself standing along with everyone else, her smile blazing from her face as she sang the words that spoke of strength and overcoming adversity. As the music swung into its last verse, she looked toward the stage and realized the fiddler was staring right at her. His large, dark eyes seemed to see only her and when he tucked his fiddle under his chin, he bowed to her just a bit.

"That didn't take long," Amelia whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Sookie asked, swallowing around her suddenly dry throat.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about. I think I'm going to wish I'd put money on this one," and Amelia nudged her so hard, she almost knocked Sookie off her chair.

Sookie took the deep breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Is he gorgeous? Yes," she yelled close to Amelia's ear, "but looking isn't buying, and I already told you. I'm not looking for a boyfriend!" Sookie broke eye contact and stood, "I'm going to find the Ladies Room. If you see the waitress, could you get me a glass of ice water?"

The bathroom was toward the back of the place, and it took some fancy turning and many shouted 'excuse me's' to finally reach the door. Sookie headed in, smiled at the woman applying lipstick in the mirror, and stepped into the stall. When she finished, she flushed, opened the door, and almost jumped back. There, standing across from her and leaning against the sinks, was the fiddler from the band.

"Cheese and rice!" Sookie exclaimed. She pressed her hand against her racing heart. "You scared the crap out of me!" and her adrenaline made her feel more angry than anything else.

The fiddler smiled, and Sookie couldn't help but notice how handsome he was. His cheekbones were high and his eyes were large and warm. His skin was pale, which only seemed to show off his dark features to better advantage. ' _Black Irish_ ,' Sookie thought. She'd read the term but, until now, hadn't really understood what it meant.

"I didn't mean to frighten you," the musician smiled, showing strong, even teeth. "Perhaps if I introduced myself?"

"Here?" Sookie looked around, "In the Ladies Room?"

"It's quiet," the fiddler shrugged, and holding out his hand, said, "Breandan O'Hara," and then, "Breandan," as if he wasn't sure she'd heard him.

Sookie looked at the outstretched hand and then her own. With a sigh, Sookie brushed past the fiddler and turned on the spigot in the sink to wash her hands. She couldn't look at him, but the soft Irish accent of his voice was making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up in the most delicious way. When she finished, she reached over and got a paper towel, bit her lip, and then looked him straight in the eye. "So, is this how you meet most girls? Stalk them in bathrooms?"

"No, not most girls," Breandan O'Hara smiled, "Just you." When he said the last, he leaned forward, looking into her eyes. Sookie had the impression he was trying to do something, and she felt a slight pressure in her head.

"Well, goodness," Sookie rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly to get rid of the strange feeling, "I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. There's something about being told that men think of bathrooms and you in the same sentence that just gives a girl pause," and then Sookie paused herself. She was flirting! She was standing in a Ladies Room in a crowded bar with a total stranger and she was flirting. It wasn't something she ever really did, and the fact of it made her look at Breandan again.

"Well, then, you should end the suspense and tell me you'll be going home with me tonight," Breandan leaned forward, his smile suddenly too wide and framed with straight, white teeth.

Sookie felt as if cold water had been thrown over her. Her smile fell and she didn't feel special or mysterious, the kind of girl a man took the time to pursue. Instead, Sookie felt cheap, like the kind of woman men mistook for a bar slut who would open her legs for anyone with the price of a drink and a direct line.

"Well," Sookie said, her voice tight, "This certainly was an adventure. This kind of thing doesn't happen to me very often." She held out her hand now and Breandan O'Hara took it. She shook hands once, twice, and then dropped his hand, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. O'Hara. You're very talented and I enjoyed listening to your music. Maybe I'll have the pleasure of seeing you perform again some time," and she straightened her back and walked purposefully past him and out the door. She kept her eyes forward as she headed back to the table, and she refused to look back at the stage after she sat down.

"What happened?" Amelia asked. It was clear her friend had seen the fiddler walking out of the bathroom behind Sookie.

"Nothing much," Sookie told her. "Just another guy who thinks an awful lot of himself."

Once the band finished their second set, Sookie made her excuses.

"That's okay," Amelia nodded. "I have an early day for classes tomorrow, too." Together they rode the T, and Amelia gave Sookie a lift back to her house.

"I'm sorry he was such an asshole," Amelia told her again as Sookie was getting out of the car.

"Not your fault," Sookie told her. "Guess he figured anyone smiling like I was had something else in mind. My fault, but it's all settled now."

"Still," Amelia squeezed her hand, "I'm going to ask Sean to tell him how wrong he was. If nothing else, maybe it will make him think twice before he hits on the next girl."

As Amelia pulled away, the black dog walked forward out of the shadows. He was here every night, and he walked up to Sookie and leaned against her leg. "At least I know I can count on you," she told him, petting his huge head. He stood almost to her waist and it occurred to Sookie she probably should have been afraid of him, but she couldn't find it in herself. "I'll bet you're hungry," she said, leaning down and curling her fingers into the dog's large jowls.

In spite of her efforts, she wasn't able to get the dog to come past the fence that marked the line between sidewalk and house walk. "You just wait here," she told the animal. "I saved some steak sandwich from today," and she walked up to the house, glancing at the huge animal waiting for her.

"How was it?" her Mother asked. Sookie smiled. It was wonderful seeing her Mother able to stay up later again.

"It was good," Sookie replied. "I liked the music." She pulled the scraps from the refrigerator and put them on the plate.

"That for the dog?" her Mother asked. Sookie flashed her a quick smile, and excused herself. Sookie knew her Mother thought she was crazy. Sookie had tried to point the dog out a couple times but, for whatever reason, her Mother could never see it.

When she was back in the house, the deadbolts locked in place, she sat down across from her Mom. "Think you'll go back to the club?" her Mother asked.

"I don't think so," Sookie replied. "I don't think I'd want to listen to something like that too often, but it was fun for one night."

That next night as Sookie walked to work, the memory of Breandan O'Hara's fiddle music and dark, soulful eyes refused to let her alone. ' _You really are desperate_ ,' Sookie scolded herself, ' _if you think a lech like that is worth a single second of your thoughts!_ ' But as the night progressed, Sookie found that Breandan O'Hara had found a foothold in her daydreams, and the foolishness of it left her frustrated.


	7. Chapter 6 - Mummer's Dance

**Chapter 6 – Mummer's Dance**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Breandan watched Sookie Stackhouse sail past him and out of the Ladies Room. Her back was straight and every movement told him how little she thought of him. It was infuriating. It took him almost a full minute and the disgusted expression from another woman finding him still leaning against the sinks to get his feet moving.

"Struck out?" his bandmate asked after he walked back onstage. Kiernan didn't bother to hide his smug satisfaction, and Breandan considered striking his bandmate with a curse on the spot. _'Blindness. That's an easy one_ ,' crossed Breandan's mind, but he pulled it back.

' _What would a human do?_ ' he asked himself, forcing his mind back to the job at hand.

"Screwed up," Breandan said aloud through clenched teeth. Breandan's head was a snarl of frustration and fury. He was sure it had been Sookie Stackhouse, after all, how many more glowing women could there be in Boston? What he couldn't understand was her reaction. He hadn't used much of a push, but it should have been enough. She was attracted to him, and her surprise had helped to open her defenses, but then she had done exactly the opposite of what Breandan wanted. A possibility occurred to the Fae. What if her mongrel blood made her immune to the charms of the Fae? What if she was able to resist glamour?

"Sookie is a nice girl." Sean interrupted Breandan's thoughts and the Fae registered a warning. His neighbor had taken on a Big Brother tone and that could be a problem. The plan was to woo the girl and get her to Ireland, which assumed both personal involvement and a fair amount of plotting, but Breandan hadn't factored in her having protectors.

' _This could work for me, though_ ,' the fiddler thought quickly, then turning to Sean said, "That was Sookie?" He looked out across the bar, scanning for her, looking for the slight phosphorescence that was her, and knowing it would give the right appearance to his story. "I forgot you said she'd be here. She's beautiful! You didn't mention that!" As the song opened and he waited for his cue, Breandan finally saw her, and then watched, helpless, as Sookie Stackhouse stood and left the bar, followed by Amelia Carmichael.

Sean was short with him the rest of the evening and Kiernan was chortling with glee. "I didn't know," Breandan told Sean again, sticking to his only defense, then added, "I don't know what came over me. I just had to meet her. I swear, I'm not usually like this. She's…well, you see how she is!"

"Well, whatever you did managed to chase her and my girlfriend right out of the bar," Sean flashed his phone toward Breandan, showing the Fae he'd received a text, presumably from Amelia. "She says you're a total dickhead. Real smooth!"

"She's right," Breandan readily agreed, "I was an ass, but I swear. It was like a car wreck and every wrong thing I could say just spilled out. I don't know what came over me." It was enough that the ride home was a little less chilly and Breandan was happy to see Amelia's car out front, so at least Amelia wasn't going to punish Sean, and that would make using these two to get things back on track a little easier.

The call that night with his Father wasn't pleasant. His Father accused him of purposely creating drama in what should have been a straight-forward job. "I'm not sure what went wrong, but she's more than human," Breandan told Rogan.

"You're sure?" his Father paused. "And you say she was glowing?"

"She was like a canary in a coal mine. I'm not surprised the Selkie could track her. The spark seems strong in her." They had already decided that this was not Adele, and likely not Adele's daughter. This had to be Niall Brigant's granddaughter and her being this Fae could be helpful.

"So, you still have a chance of capturing her?" his Father asked.

"It might take a little longer," Breandan nodded, "but she was attracted. I could sense it."

"Just make sure you don't get too comfortable," his Father scolded. "I understand the attraction of new places and fresh diversions, but you are on a job. I want her back here as soon as possible. A mongrel is one thing, but a mongrel with spark? Niall will do anything to keep his link to her from being exposed. He enjoys the peace of his kingdom these days. Something like this will cause trouble and he won't be happy about that!"

With a new plan, Breandan knocked on Sean's apartment door the next night. It was Amelia who answered the door. Breandan made an effort to appear contrite and said, "I'm thinking an apology is in order. I'm guessing there were some hard words said about me by your friend."

"Asshole," Sean looked up from the sink where he was washing a cup. "That word was used a couple times."

Amelia hadn't stepped back from the doorway, leaving Breandan standing in the hallway. "I deserve that and more," he told her. "I don't know what came over me. I didn't know who she was and I tell you, it didn't matter. I just knew the minute I saw her that I had to meet her."

"Propositioning someone in the Ladies Room is about as low as it gets," Amelia wasn't giving an inch.

"And I feel like the perfect fool. As I said, I can't explain it. I suppose I thought if I was bold, she'd be bold right back," Breandan followed the script he'd devised. He knew human women loved stories of love at first sight and this situation seemed perfect for that narrative.

"I told you I've never been to America before and with where I live, I never really met an American girl. I figured she'd be like the ones I saw on television. You know the shows, "Jersey Girls" and "Real Life?" I figured she'd be impressed by a man who'd step up and take charge." Amelia rolled her eyes and Breandan allowed himself to look even more abject, "I didn't know she was your friend. I swear."

Finally, Amelia shrugged and stepped back, allowing Breandan to walk in. "No skin off my back," she said off-handedly. "Sookie is good people. Probably all for the best. You're looking for a vacation hook-up, but my Sookie needs someone who's got more to offer."

"I can't stop thinking about her," The words were out of Breandan's mouth before he could stop them and he realized as he said them they were true. He set his fiddle case down on the chair and took a breath. He walked over to Amelia and using his most charming voice, asked, "Do you think she'd give me another chance?"

Amelia actually looked at him, her head cocked to the side. "Maybe," she shrugged after a pause.

"That would be grand!" Breandan smiled and he believed Amelia was going to help him, but as the days passed, he started to realize he might be wrong. He played with the band the next night, and then twice on the weekend. Sookie failed to show at any of the performances. When Breandan asked, Sean just shrugged.

As Sean's apartment, Breandan asked Amelia how her friend was doing and if she'd agreed to see him. "I haven't had a chance to ask her," Amelia shrugged. "She's been really busy."

Breandan suggested stopping by where they worked and his reward was a venomous look from Amelia. Sean grabbed his arm and walked him away. "The owners don't like friends just dropping by," he told the Fae. "And Amelia hates it when I show up there." Breandan doubted it. He'd heard the two talk about meeting during break time at the diner more than once. "Yeah," Sean was continuing, "Amelia has this thing she runs with her customers, flirting and stuff, and if I show up, it throws her. She needs the tips. No one wants their friends showing up where they work. You know how it goes."

By Sunday, Breandan was considering using glamour on the couple to force the issue when Amelia announced, "I guess you're really sincere about Sookie, huh?"

"You mean this has been a test?" and Breandan worked hard to control his quick anger. "Why would I lie?" He said it a little more sharply than he intended, so he took a breath, and then said, "I'm not lying. She's made a real impression. I want to see her again," and as the words left his lips, Breandan realized he meant those words, too.

"If you turn back into the kind of creep who would stalk a complete stranger and ask her to come home for a ride on the pony, I'll castrate you myself!" Amelia deadpanned. "You had better not be the kind of guy who's only looking for a hook-up because my girl's not like that. She looks out for me and I look out for her."

"Amelia and I thought it might be better coming from me," and Sean looked at Amelia who nodded. "I'll go to the Diner and talk to Sookie. I believe you're serious about this, I really do, but if Sookie says no, that's it."

It seemed weak, but the alternative was starting over again. If Breandan O'Hara was frozen out, a new character and new approach would have to be found. Breandan would have to report his failure to his Father and he didn't dare gloss it over. Eric Northman was here and he knew his Father would believe the vampire over his own son when it came to this matter.

That was when Breandan had a sudden inspiration. "If I write something down, would you read it?" he asked Sean. "You'd be acting as my basadoir."

"Your what?" Sean asked.

"My matchmaker," Breandan explained.

"Whoa!" Amelia exclaimed and held her hand up. "Don't you think you're moving a little fast here! You don't even know if she's going to talk with you and you're trying to what? Arrange a marriage?"

"Perhaps the word has a different meaning here," Breandan fixed his gaze on Amelia. He could tell she was the one he had to convince. "Where I come from, it was custom that a man wouldn't as much as talk to a girl without a formal introduction. I've made such a mess of this. I figure it's best to go back to basic manners and start again."

"And that's what a matchmaker does in Ireland?" Amelia looked skeptical.

"Where I come from," Breandan assured her. He didn't bother to add that where he came from marriages were arranged, including his own, and most everyone already knew each other. The world of the Fae was a small society. Breandan could see that the old-fashioned idea appealed and he knew before she spoke that he'd won.

"Well, Sookie's a big one for manners," Amelia said slowly, and so it was agreed.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

When Sookie walked through the door of the diner an hour ahead of her schedule, the evening crowd was still winding up and Fran looked too happy to see her. "Everything okay at home?" Fran asked, and then followed it with, "Can you start early?"

"Everything's great at home," Sookie told her. "Mom went to sleep and I thought I'd just come in a little early." What Sookie didn't say was that sitting in the small kitchen, staring at the line of prescription bottles, and smelling the old, stale smell of sickness, was driving her crazy.

"And I'm happy you did," Fran smiled.

"Good thing you're here!" Pat exclaimed, wiping his hands as he came around the counter. "Why don't you go get your apron? We had to fire that new busboy…"

"I'll be happy to bus for awhile," Sookie grinned, rolling her eyes. This was the normal Sookie yearned for and she happily buried herself in physical work. The mindless routine of scooping dishes into plastic bins, shuttling to the back, loading the machine, and pushing the trays through all seemed so comforting. She didn't even notice that her apron was soaked or her hair was starting to fall.

"Wow, you look like shit!" Amelia said from behind her. Sookie laughed and it felt rusty, and then it felt good. As she changed her apron, Amelia looked at her fingernails before saying, "I think I should give you a heads up that Sean is coming in tonight."

Sookie glanced up, "Why's that a problem? You guys fighting or something?" Sookie didn't think it was likely. The quick conversations they'd had at work generally featured Sean and how wonderful he was, or how thoughtful or talented. Every time Amelia said his name her face lit up.

Amelia had decided she wouldn't mention her part in any of this. She was Sookie's wingman and she didn't want it to look like she was ganging up if Sookie decided to keep Breandan shut out. She chose her words carefully and said, "I guess you made one hell of an impression. Ever since that night at the bar, Breandan O'Hara's been going on and on about you. He's been bugging Sean to ask you to give him a second chance," and Amelia glanced up to gauge her friend's reaction.

"Breandan O'Hara is a lech and a butthole," Sookie rolled her eyes. "He's not interested in someone like me. He's probably just got his panties in a twist because some stupid woman was foolish enough to turn him down."

"Actually, Sean says he feels really bad about all that." When Sookie shook her head, Amelia shrugged. "Sean says it happens with these guys fresh over from Ireland. They think American girls are like they see on the TV shows…"

"What?" Sookie asked. "Sluts?"

"Well…no…" and then Amelia shrugged again. "Kind of," she added. "They see those reality shows and they think we're all pushy and just about sex. And maybe the guys in the band helped that along. You know how the bar scene can be. Anyway, Sean is coming over to apologize for him."

"Here?" Sookie asked. "Oh, shit. When?"

"He should be here any minute," Amelia smiled. "Look, I told him I'd talk to you first. He feels kind of duty-bound. He promised. Really, Breandan has been at him every night and Sean just didn't think he could say no anymore. Just let him say his piece and Sean can go back to Butthole Breandan and tell him 'too bad, so sad, better luck next time.'"

Sookie stared at Amelia for a long minute before her lips started to curve up. "You think he's for real?" Sookie heard herself ask.

"What? The stupid hick off the boat thing?" Amelia was looking at Sookie closely. "Why? Are you interested in Breandan?"

"No!" Sookie finished tying her fresh apron, but she couldn't quite look at Amelia. When she did, she added, "Maybe. How much do you trust him? You don't think this is another set-up, do you?"

"I don't think he's lying to Sean or me," Amelia said quietly, and then she squeezed Sookie's arm. The two women looked at each other and Sookie realized the smile that had started was getting bigger.

It was really almost a half hour and the diner was slower when Sean Callahan walked in. He was wearing his black leather jacket and he nodded to Fran and Pat as he walked by. He walked over to the booth where the waitresses were sitting, filling salt and pepper shakers. He kissed Amelia on the cheek as he slid in beside her, then leaned forward over the table.

"Hey, Sookie," he greeted her, "How's your mom?"

"She's fine," Sookie said, and then found her eyes glancing down. She was nervous! There was no accounting for it, but her heart was pounding and her mouth was dry.

"I've come here to talk to you about Breandan. You know, Breandan O'Hara, the guy in my band." Sean shifted to pull something out of his pocket. "He asked me to find you and apologize for him, and he asked me to say some things. He didn't trust me to remember them exactly, so he wrote them down," and Sean pulled out a piece of notebook paper and smoothed it on the table in front of him. He scanned it and then, looking deeply into Sookie's eyes, he said, "Breandan wants you to know he feels like a total jerk. He believed that American women are different than in Ireland, and that if he talked with you like he would a woman at home, you'd think he was a git- his word - and you wouldn't give him the time of day." He glanced down at the paper again before looking at Sookie.

"Go on," Sookie nodded.

"So, Breandan is sending you his apology and is asking if you'd be willing to give him a second chance," and Sean sat back and waited.

"Is that it?" Sookie asked, looking at the paper in front of Sean that had a lot of writing on it.

"Well," Sean grinned, "I'm supposed to wait for your answer first."

Fran had wandered over and she was nodding. "Well," she said, "It sounds like he's a proper lad, then. He's asking before he jumps to anything as he should."

Sookie glanced at Amelia. She found herself thinking of the way Breandan looked on stage as his fingers flew and the music flowed from him. She thought of the way his eyes captured hers, making her feel like the only person in the room, and the way her heart leaped when he smiled at her. "Yes," she said. "I would be willing to give him one more chance."

Sean smiled broadly and let out a sigh, "Great!" he exclaimed, and then running his hands through his hair, he leaned forward. "Okay," and as he spoke, he kept his eyes on the paper, "Then I'm to say that as his friend, he'd like me to introduce him. He wants you to know he's from the western part of Ireland and his family has lived in that part of the country for generations. They are landed people, but there's not many of them. His family has a successful business in hotels and when Breandan returns home, he'll be taking up his part in that business." Sean frowned a little, and then glancing up at Sookie said, "He wants you to know he's a man with prospects."

"Well, I'll be," Fran shook her head. Pat had walked over and was wiping his hands with a towel. "What do you make of that?" Fran asked him.

"What is it?" Pat asked and he leaned over to look at the paper.

"It sounds like this Breandan O'Hara is from Ireland itself and he's giving our Sookie's a formal courting introduction," his wife told him.

"What? Like from the old country?" Pat scoffed.

"Indeed, it is!" Fran smiled. "Well, I don't know who this young man is, but I'd say he's been raised proper, even if he is old-fashioned. Now, if this was Ireland and a generation ago, that would have been delivered through your brother or some other male relative, but I'd say he's done a fair job of it. So," and she gave Sookie a wink, "what's it to be?"

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," Sookie replied.

"Well, you're willing to see him again, right?" Sean smiled.

"I don't really care about where he's from or what his family does," Sookie was confused. "I barely know him."

"And that's the thing of it," Pat nodded. "A young woman these days makes up her own mind. She doesn't need families making these kinds of arrangements."

"What kind of arrangements?" Sookie asked.

"A young man who extends that kind of introduction is telling you he intends to court you," Fran explained. "He's telling you his intentions are serious."

"What are you talking about?" Sookie huffed. "I barely know him! I've only seen him the once!"

"He told me you're all he thinks about," Sean grinned. "He talks about you all the time. He's been after Amelia and me to do this for over a week."

Amelia swatted Sean's arm, "Thanks for ratting me out!" she exclaimed, then turning back to Sookie said, "No pressure, really. He handled himself like a real turd at the club but, for what it's worth, I do think he really wants to fix it with you."

"I think he needs his head examined," Sookie said. "A courting introduction? Look, this is all a little shamrocks and leprechauns for me. I wouldn't mind seeing him again, but…"

"Good!" Sean hit his hand on the table. He turned to Pat, "And when would you think these two fine women might get an evening out because Breandan and I would like to take them out to dinner."

"That's a good idea," Fran nodded. "That way you aren't alone and it gives everyone a chance to get to know each other."

"If you think your mother would be all right, Mondays are usually slow. I could give you next Monday, a week from tonight," Pat said thoughtfully.

Sookie was looking around the table and she kept opening her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. There was a part of her that was feeling railroaded, but there was another part of her that felt flattered.

"I'll check," Sookie said uncertainly, "but I'm not making promises. I…"

"Oh, great!" Sean was smiling. "This will mean a lot to Breandan! You have no idea. He's been pining, I swear!

That night as Sookie locked her car door, she found that Breandan O'Hara was figuring large in her thoughts. She barely spoke to the large black dog who shadowed her on the walk from her car to the house. When she got to the fence, she scrubbed her fingers through the bristling hair of the black dog's head and said, "I hope your night was as good as mine." She squatted down and holding the dog's massive head between her hands, said, "There's a guy who wants to court me. Court me! Sookie Stackhouse!" and she laughed.

When she stood, the dog let out a great groan as it lay down across the sidewalk. "Oh, great!" she said half to herself, "Another critic!" but she was almost humming as she unlocked the three deadbolts and swung the door open.

"Oh!" Sookie stuttered when she slammed right into Sam Merlotte's chest. "Oh, I am so sorry!" but Sam didn't seem sorry at all. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.

"Sookie!" he sighed and Sookie knew she had to take care of this right away.

"I don't know what idea you have in your head, Sam," she said, firmly pushing back from him, "but I think it's wrong. I think you're hoping there will be something between us, but I have to be honest with you. That's just not going to happen…"

"Well…" and Sam opened his mouth and then shut it before saying, "Maybe you just don't know me. I know we haven't talked much, but I notice things about you. I know you're thoughtful and you're kind. You're smart and you like to read. You…"

"I'm seeing someone," Sookie blurted. It wasn't true, but before she could even think about it, the words were out of her mouth.

"You are?" and Sookie felt guilty, seeing how stricken Sam looked.

"I'm sorry," Sookie sighed.

"Your mother didn't say anything about it. I talked with her this afternoon and…" he stopped talking. Seeing his lost puppy expression, Sookie felt even worse.

"She's been so ill, I didn't tell her about it. I didn't want her to worry," Sookie lied some more. Her face was red, and she felt mean and small. "I… I have to go," she fumbled and ducking her head, rushed to the door and up the stairs.

"Sookie?" her mother called out as she shut the apartment door and clicked the lock in place, "Is that you?"

Sookie lay her hands against her cheeks to try and cool them, and then taking a deep breath, walked down the short hall and pushed open her mother's bedroom door. "What are you doing up?"

"I don't know," her mother smiled wanly. "I couldn't sleep. Are you okay?"

Sookie sat down on the side of her mother's bed, "I don't know," she said truthfully. "I'm pretty sure I just broke Sam's heart."

"Oh," her mother nodded, "I know he was hoping, but I guess it was just a matter of time, although I wish you would reconsider. He's a good man and you haven't really given him a chance. He has money and this house. He has a good heart and he'd take care of you." When her daughter rolled her eyes, Michele leaned over and patted Sookie's hand, "All right! I give up. I hope you were kind. What did you say to him?"

"That I'm seeing someone else," Sookie whispered.

"Oh," her mother answered. "Well, you know I don't approve of lying, but it's an excuse he'd understand, I suppose."

"Well," Sookie found she was smiling and she couldn't stop. "It may not be exactly lying," and she told her mother about Breandan O'Hara and the apology.

"Turn the light on," her mother ordered. Once Sookie did, her mother slowly sat up and then turned to look closely at her daughter. "There is something in your voice when you talk about this person. You like him."

"I don't know him," Sookie shrugged.

"But you want to," her mother nodded, and then sank back against her pillows. "That's how it was with your father. I wasn't interested in meeting anyone, but one day I was walking down the hall at school, and I glanced over and there he was. He was running for school president, and the minute I looked in his eyes, I was done! I can honestly say I never noticed another man again. My Mother and Father couldn't understand it, and neither could I, but I never regretted it, not for one minute."

Sookie leaned over and laid her head on her Mother's shoulder, and Michele scooted over so they could both lay against the headboard. "I miss him," she told her Mother.

"I do, too," Michele sighed. "A little more every day. I feel like I have to tell you how sorry I am. In some ways, I feel like until he left me, I never had enough time for you kids. If your Father hadn't had to hide so often, I might not have had any time for you and Jason at all."

It was such an odd thing to say that Sookie sat up to look at her Mother's face. Michele was staring somewhere, her thoughts far away. "Why did Daddy have to hide?" Sookie asked.

"Did I say that?" and her Mother was back. "I don't know why I would," and then her Mother wrapped her arms around Sookie and pulled her close again. "You two always had such a close relationship. I know it sounds crazy, but I was almost jealous of you."

"He was different," Sookie said, and then, for the first time, she broke her promise to her Daddy and said out loud the thing that was between them, "He was different, like me. He could do things, magic things."

The reaction was instant. Michele became stiff and she pushed Sookie away, "Don't say that!" she exclaimed. "There was nothing odd about your Father! He was special and that's all anyone needs to know."

"Sure, Mom," Sookie agreed. She bit her lip a little and forced a smile. "He was special, to all of us."

"Yes, he was," and happy Michele was back, "Maybe like this young man is going to be special to you."

"I don't think it's like that!" Sookie laughed.

"We'll see," her mother smiled and she kissed her daughter's forehead. "So, when do you see this young man again?"

"Next Monday," Sookie told her, "as long as that works with your doctor's appointments."

"I'm sure it will," her Mother assured her. She sighed, "I'm tired, Sweetheart," she told Sookie. "Will you turn out the light?" Sookie helped her Mother slide down in the bed and she tucked the blankets around her Mother's thin shoulders. The weight she'd put on before chemo was long gone and her Mother more resembled a scarecrow now.

"I love you," Sookie told her as she stood at the door.

"I just want you to be happy," her Mother told her, "like I was."

Sookie thought of the way her parents were, her Mother a moth to her Father's flame, and she thought of how she was now, so lost without him. There was something disquieting about it. ' _Don't wish it for me_ ,' Sookie found herself thinking, and then, feeling disloyal, she headed to bed.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Tuesday night at the diner, Sookie found herself inexplicably turning to watch the door. There was no reason to think Breandan would appear but, for some reason, Sookie kept almost hoping and then almost dreading he would.

On Wednesday night, Sookie found herself looking at the door every time she had a free minute. Finally, giving in, she asked Amelia, "What did he say?"

"Who?" Amelia looked up from her station.

"Breandan," Sookie huffed. "You know…when you told him."

"Is that why you keep looking at the door?" Amelia grinned. When Sookie rolled her eyes, Amelia laughed out loud, "You are! You're looking for Breandan O'Hara!"

"I'm hopeless," Sookie shrugged. She felt foolish, but she couldn't deny what Amelia was saying.

"He said he couldn't stop thinking about you," Amelia teased.

Sookie didn't say anything else, but she could feel her cheeks blush, and worse yet, even knowing Amelia was watching her, she still found her eyes drawn to the door over and over again.

The next night, Sookie was finishing wiping down her tables when she noticed Amelia. Her friend was standing in front of her, looking over Sookie's shoulder at something with her mouth hanging open. Sookie straightened and then turned around to find Breandan O'Hara standing a few feet away. He was dressed neatly in a white, button-down shirt and pressed, dark trousers. His hair was brushed back from his forehead and knotted high, emphasizing the sharp blade of his nose and his high cheekbones. ' _Sensuous_ ,' Sookie thought, looking at his lips. It was a word used often in the romance novels she'd read as a girl.

Sookie realized she was staring at Breandan's mouth, and she snapped her eyes up in a way that had those lips curving as if he knew. He released her from her embarrassment when he turned to Fran who was standing beside him, "I'm sorry to be disturbing you and your guests," he told her. "It's just that there's still half a week until I have time with her and she's all I've been thinking of."

"Well, it's a sweet talker you are, and there's no lie," Fran laughed at him, then turning to Sookie, said, "Well, you can see you have someone who's come to say hello."

"Make it quick," Pat said from behind the counter, but he was smiling, too.

Sookie could feel the heat in her face, and it only increased when Breandan stepped forward and brought his hand up. He was holding a bouquet of daisies wrapped in green florist paper. "I wanted to be thanking you for giving me a second chance," he said, his Irish brogue curling around every word in a way that made Sookie's panties melt.

Sookie reached out and took the flowers but, at the same time, she said, "I told Sean I'd go out to dinner with you, but as a group. I don't know you and you don't know me. You may decide you don't like me."

"I doubt that!" Breandan said and he smiled in a way that had Sookie's heart fluttering. He had a dimple, not a deep one, beside his mouth and Sookie realized she wanted to lean over and touch it. It was so confusing! She had never reacted to anyone this way, so she looked at the flowers to hide her confusion.

She sensed her reaction made Breandan smile more and he leaned toward her a little. It seemed he was almost beside her when he said, "I'm happy you're not throwing me out on the street. I'd deserve it and it's lucky I am that you're willing to forgive me a little." Sookie opened her mouth to tell him he wasn't exactly forgiven, but he had already turned on his heel and was heading for the door. He stopped before he walked outside, looked back at Sookie, winked, and then he was gone. Sookie found herself standing in the middle of her station, flowers in hand, and her mouth hanging open.

"So, that was the man, was it?" Pat had walked over to stand next to Sookie as several of her tables clapped.

"Breandan," Sookie nodded, and headed to the back to find a pitcher for her flowers.

"What did you say his last name was again?" Fran asked when she returned. There was something about the way Fran asked that caught Sookie's attention.

"O'Hara," Amelia supplied.

"And Sean said he was from western Ireland? Hotels?" Fran asked.

"I think so," Sookie mumbled, then grabbed a water pitcher to make a round of her tables. Romance was all fine and good, but hard work was how she earned her tips.

"It's an old name," Fran told her when she returned to her station. "And it's an old family if he's one of them." Fran glanced over at the door Breandan had walked through. "There's something odd about those O'Haras, a shining."

"What are you going on about?" Pat scolded from across the way. "Nothing but superstition and old wives' tales! Next you'll be telling the girl he's cursed or some such foolishness! We left that behind in Ireland and you don't need to be bringing it here!"

"You think Breandan O'Hara is cursed?" Amelia asked, her eyes lighting up as she walked past with her tray.

"No, not cursed!" Fran scolded. "Just…other somehow. He has the look of those who have the gentry in their family."

"As if there is any such thing as fairies and pookas!" Pat scoffed.

"I didn't say he was one of them!" Fran snorted, "but we both know there are families who have a special place with them."

"You don't really believe all that?" Sookie scoffed.

"I'm not saying I do, and I'm not saying I don't," Fran replied, "but there is something different about that young man of yours. I bet you find out his family enjoys good fortune or he has some special gift."

"He plays fiddle better than anyone I've ever heard," the words tumbled out of Sookie's mouth before she could even think.

"There!" Fran nodded, "And isn't music one of their special gifts!"

"Get back to work," Pat groused and Fran turned and walked away. Amelia also left, walking away to check the few tables left with guests, and Sookie found herself standing in the middle of her station, thinking of fiddle music and the way the sight of Breandan O'Hara's mouth made her feel.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"So, you've found her then," Rogan Brigant sounded pleased and Breandan was sure he was.

"I have a date with her. She's interested, attracted even. I think everything is progressing well," Breandan reported.

"But you're not in her bed yet," his Father pointed out.

"I've been here less than two weeks," Breandan protested, his teeth grinding and promising himself to have words with the vampire. It was the only way his Father would have known that particular detail.

"She looks fetching enough. What's the problem?" his Father persisted.

"There are details that need to be worked through," Breandan kept his voice patient. "There's a Mother. She doesn't appear to be Fae. I haven't met her yet, but I will. From all accounts, she's gravely ill. That could create delays. What woman abandons her sick mother for…"

"Grand sex? Most!" Rogan laughed. "You give these humans too much credit. Just soften her resolve with a little glamour and a warm tumble or two. Not enough to muddle her consent…"

"That's where there may be a problem," Breandan interrupted. "She's immune to glamour. I tried. It has no effect on her at all." When Rogan remained silent, Breandan took it as a good sign. "Assuming she was human almost cost me everything. It took some maneuvering to get back in her good graces without arousing her suspicion. If she's Fae enough to resist glamour, who knows what other peculiarities might present themselves? I would prefer to advance slowly. You must trust me on this."

"How slowly?" Rogan was starting to sound angry.

"Not too slowly," his son assured him. "Just slowly enough to make sure she is well entangled before I broach the subject of her coming with me to explore Ireland."

"You aren't finding your trip to America too enjoyable, are you?" his Father asked. Breandan knew this question was a trap.

"I am finding I like it here," Breandan told his Father. "The people are agreeable and I enjoy how I'm passing the time, but I won't forget my duty to you. You have sent me here for a reason and I will deliver the girl as you've asked."

"Claude was asking about you," Rogan told his son. For some reason, the thought of his cousin made Breandan uncomfortable. Breandan lived in the moment as did all Fae. The idea he felt in any way guilty was foreign, yet he did feel guilty. Breandan felt as though he was cheating, but he realized he wasn't quite sure whether his maligned half was dark-haired or blond and waiting tables, and it was an unsettling thought.


	8. Chapter 7 - Through the Looking Glass

**Chapter 7 -Through the Looking Glass**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Of course, her mother was enthusiastic about Sookie's date, every time Sookie reminded her. It was frustrating. Sookie would walk out of her bedroom with a dress in hand and Michele would ask, "Where are you going?"

"I have a date tonight," Sookie would tell her again. Michele immediately got happy and offered to help. If they were together, Michele was engaged, but then Michele would offer to go get makeup, or she offered to make them both tea and when Sookie went to find her, Michele would have a blank expression on her face and Sookie would have to go through the story all over again.

After several false starts, Sookie landed on a simple dress with a floral print. It had a soft neckline and showed a little more cleavage than Sookie felt she should, but her mother insisted she looked wonderful. Because of how the apartment door was situated, it was agreed that Amelia would text her when they were out front to pick her up. That way there was no reason for Sam to answer the door first, a situation Sookie was anxious to avoid.

When Sookie's phone buzzed, she practically jumped out of her skin. "You look beautiful, Sweetheart," her Mother assured her. "Have a good time!"

Sookie tried not to rush down the stairs, but she hopelessly failed. She pulled open the door to find Breandan O'Hara standing on her front porch. He was dressed in nice slacks and another button-down shirt that was open at the neck. His almost too-handsome face lit up and smiled directly at her before he said, "I am the luckiest man I know." Sookie's eyes widened and she felt her breath catch a little, but then Breandan said, "I know Amelia said we should wait in the car, but I was just that anxious to see you." Sookie couldn't speak. She knew he was handsome, but somehow, under the porch light with his hair pulled back he looked more like a movie star than a real person. "Shall we?" he said, breaking into her daydream, and Breandan turned a little and offered his arm. Sookie linked hers through his and all the way down the walk she wondered when she'd awaken.

They went to a local family restaurant. The menu wasn't fancy, but everything was good. The waitress asked for their drink orders and Sookie asked for a glass of white wine. When it was Breandan's turn, he ordered an imported beer. When the waitress dropped off their drink orders, Sookie noticed the logo. "I see people order that all the time," she mentioned. "Do people in Ireland really drink it? I mean, there's plenty of imported beers you find out are basically just for tourists."

Breandan pointed to the logo, a stylized crown, "I can tell you for a fact it's very popular in Ireland. My family manufactures this, so I'm pretty pleased to see it being offered in a place like this."

Sean grinned, "I figured your family had connections, after all, you do have the best view in the building. I didn't know you were that rich, though."

Breandan smiled broadly, but then he sensed Sookie move. She sat back and shifted just a little, so she was further away from him. Breandan covered his preening with a quick shrug, "It's my family, like I said. I'm just one in a mob. Not like the profits go directly into my bank account." It wasn't a lie. The profits went into the family trust first, and then Breandan turned so he could ask Sookie, "Would it be a problem with you, if I did have a little cash of my own?"

"I've never been rich," Sookie stammered. She knew Amelia and Sean came from families who were more than comfortable, but it wasn't anything she talked about and she was starting to feel like a fish out of water. "I guess I never thought about it."

"I won't say money is meaningless," Breandan's face was serious. He turned fully toward Sookie and looked directly into her eyes. It wasn't glamour, but Breandan knew that charm could work as well with humans. "What I can tell you, coming from people who don't have to scratch for a living, is that money is not the most important thing, not even the second most important thing." He smiled just a little, knowing how it lifted his eyes and made his dimple appear, "What's in a person's heart is what's important. It's a person's character that defines them, not the limit on their credit card." Breandan looked at Sean and Amelia as if he'd embarrassed himself, "At least, it's how I'd like to be defined."

"I believe that, too," Amelia agreed and she raised her wine glass, "To good people and good character!" and the others joined in.

There was a bit of an awkward lull. Sean had stretched his arm around Amelia's shoulder and Sookie was all too conscious of Breandan's knee alongside hers. He had his hands on the table and she kept finding herself looking at his long fingers, wondering what they might feel like, and it kept her tongue-tied. Fortunately, the waitress came with their dinners and Sean laughed, "Saved by the bell!" For whatever reason, they all seemed to find it funny and while they laughed, the tension left.

Once they started eating, Breandan launched into a story about arranging a recent music gig for Sean's band that involved a series of misadventures. Sean added to the story from time to time, but it was Breandan who wove the tale so skillfully, both Amelia and Sookie were helpless with laughter. "And the upshot is, we're playing the place next Thursday, but I'm still not sure if it's pants optional," Breandan concluded.

"You are a wonderful storyteller," Sookie complimented her date.

"It comes with the heritage," Breandan acknowledged. "I don't believe you can be Irish and not be able to tell a tale or sing a song," and then he touched her hand with the side of his fingers and the feel of him caused Sookie to still. "And what about you, Sookie Stackhouse? What gifts has your heritage given you?"

Sookie's mouth opened and she wasn't quite sure what to say, and then she did. "I grew up everywhere," she told Breandan. "We were always moving. I saw more of this country than most people ever do."

"Why did you move so often?" Amelia asked her friend.

"My Daddy's work," Sookie shrugged. It was the excuse she had grown up with. "It had us moving every couple of years."

"That must have been hard," Sean was looking at her with pity and it put steel in Sookie's spine.

"There were some hard parts," Sookie agreed, "but it gave me skills. I can fit in anywhere. I learned to walk into a roomful of strangers and find friends. I think that's a real gift."

"You are a remarkable woman," Breandan told her and when Sookie looked at him, somehow, he looked more real to her than he had earlier.

"So," Sookie looked across the table, eager to move the conversation away from her, "What about you, Sean?"

Sean launched into how he'd grown up south of Boston, in the seaside town of Duxbury, and Amelia's eyes grew wide. "No way!" she exclaimed. "You didn't tell me that!" Over the next half-hour, Sean and Amelia determined they'd grown up only one town away from each other, played sports against each other's schools, and then found several friends they had in common. For Sookie, it was like watching a real-life romance unfold. With each exchange, she could see her friend lean closer to Sean, their comments becoming more and more personal. They had stopped eating altogether, and Sean was holding Amelia's hand when they realized they'd been monopolizing the conversation.

"Oh, good grief, I'm sorry!" Amelia apologized. "I got carried away. After all, this is supposed to be your date."

"There's nothing wrong with watching people who enjoy each other," Breandan said kindly. In that moment, Sookie found herself thinking this person beside her might be the real thing. He turned to Sookie and looking straight at her, said, "I hope I find that someday. I truly do."

Sean and Breandan insisted they order dessert. When the women hesitated, Breandan plunged in and ordered four different items, each more decadent than the last. "You can try them or not," he grinned at Amelia, "but I'm going to enjoy them all!"

It restored levity to the table, and so they each sampled. "It's so strange," Amelia told Breandan, "I can't explain it, but I feel as if I've known you forever."

"That happens sometimes," Breandan said. "Where I come from, the old ones might say it's because our souls met in another life."

"Do you believe in that stuff?" Sean asked. When Breandan gave him a questioning look, Sean explained, "You know. Fairies and leprechauns. Folklore."

Breandan's face lost its easy smile, "Indeed, I do," he said quietly.

"Fran at the diner says your family is linked to fairytales," Sookie told Breandan. His eyes flared for a moment. He thought of the short woman he'd met only the once and decided he'd have to pay more attention to her.

"If we were in Ireland, people would consider that a lucky thing," Breandan deflected. "If you're interested, I'll tell you a story that's been in my family for a long time."

"Oh, yes!" Amelia squealed and she moved closer to Sean.

Breandan used it as his opportunity and he held his hand out flat on the table and looked at Sookie. She raised her eyes to his, answering with her own smile as she laid her own in his. "Aye," he said quietly, "That's grand," and then he shifted her hand to his other one, pulled her closer, and laid his arm across the back of her chair. It was neatly done and before she could protest, he leaned back, looked across the table, and started.

"The story dates back to the time of the British," Breandan told them. "As you may have heard, it was not a happy time for the Irish, and we had to hide our culture. Playing our music was outlawed, even speaking our language. It was a time the Irish learned to hide secrets and guard their tongues. It was also a hungry time, so for those who lived near the sea, many hours were spent in gathering sea moss for soup."

"People were eating seaweed?" Amelia asked.

"And happy they were for it," Breandan nodded. "The mussels and clams were taken, too. We had boats and we fished and considered ourselves luckier than those further inland. For us, at least, we wouldn't starve." Breandan glanced at Sookie. She seemed to have settled to his touch and he gifted her with a smile before continuing. "The British weren't happy though. They'd try to steal the fish from our catches, claiming it was taxes, and when we complained, they called us rebels and took even more. Now, one man in my family, he was a great fisherman, but he always gave part of his catch to the seals that followed him. He claimed the seals drove the fish to his nets and he claimed they watched over him."

"Seals?" Amelia smiled.

"Indeed," Breandan nodded. "And it could have been there was something to it because even when others came home with nothing, my relative always came home with something. The townspeople all knew the seals followed his boat and when they saw him in the ocean, don't you know the seals would be bobbing all about him? He went out in all weather. He didn't worry about fog or rain. He said that the seals would make sure he didn't become lost."

"And did they?" Sookie asked and Breandan squeezed her hand, happy to see she was listening.

"Well, it depends on how you consider the next part. You see, the British came and took my relative's boat. They told him they were certain he was smuggling and my relative was sure this would mean an end to him. Without a boat, he couldn't earn his living. He wouldn't have the money to pay the rent on his cottage and it would be eviction for him, but as he was wandering near the ocean's edge, what do you think he found?" and he smiled at Sookie.

"What?" she asked, clearly caught up in his story.

"A woman," Breandan told her. "A dark-eyed, dark-haired, woman wrapped in seaweed, lying on the beach."

"Who was she?" Amelia leaned forward.

"A Selkie," Breandan told her. "A seal woman who had cast off her skin to become human."

"You're kidding," Sean laughed.

"Not at all," Breandan replied. "Now, my relative thought she was a shipwreck survivor. The coast there is famous for its storms, so he wrapped her in his coat and he took her home. From that day forward, luck seemed to follow him. A neighbor passed and left my relative his boat. The net his woman wove him seemed to call the fish to it. Even the British seemed to forget where his door lay. Of course, one thing led to another and the priest insisted there be a hasty marriage, and she gave him many children, all dark-haired and dark-eyed, like her."

"And did they live happily ever after?" Amelia sighed.

"Alas, no," Breandan shook his head. "It's said you can be happy with the Fae for a bit, but mixing with the Unseelie will never make you happy for long."

"Unseelie?" Sookie asked.

"The dark Fae," Breandan told her. "Selkies belong to that group. They aren't like the shining ones."

"So, what happened?" and Sean used it as an excuse to pull Amelia's hand under the table, only to have her pull it back and swat him.

"It's said she went wandering on the beach one day and found her true skin caught under a rock. As much as she loved her children and my relative, she loved the sea more, and so she pulled her skin over her and was never seen again in that part of Ireland."

"What did your relative do?" Sookie asked, a smile playing over her lips.

"It's said his heart was broken," Breandan told her, "but he had the children she left him and to this day, there is one child in each generation in that family who is born with the sign."

"That's one hell of a fish tale!" Sean laughed and the others laughed, too.

The bill was paid and Breandan helped Sookie on with her coat, and then wound his arm around her, steering her toward the door. As they stepped onto the sidewalk, Breandan switched places with her, moving her away from the street. Sookie had read about men doing that, but she'd never been out with anyone who actually had. It made her feel special.

When they got to the car, Breandan stood beside her and opened her door for her. He came around to the other side and folded his long legs up to fit behind Amelia's seat. "I can sit back there," Amelia offered.

"No worries," Breandan replied and, instead of waiting, reached across and took Sookie's hand between his own. "I'm perfectly happy to be back here," and he smiled so warmly that Sookie beamed back.

As they pulled up to her house, Sookie noticed the thugs were back in the playground down the street. When Sean pulled over, Breandan jumped out of the car, ran around to open Sookie's door, and then took her hand to help her out. Tucking her hand back under his arm, he walked her up the long path and then waited as she fitted her key in each of the deadbolts.

Sookie turned back and she half-expected he'd kiss her but, instead, Breandan leaned back on his heels, and taking her hand in his, said, "You have the most beautiful smile. I'll be remembering how sweet it is when I go to sleep tonight."

Sookie felt momentarily confused, but then she knew what she wanted, so she stepped forward, put her hand on Breandan's shoulder and pulled herself up on tiptoe, so she could touch her lips to his. His reaction was fast. He released her other hand and snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her to him and returning her kiss. His lips were soft, but not soft. They moved over hers and his head slanted so he covered her mouth more fully. Her lips parted and Breandan's tongue darted forward, and then, as if he'd caught himself doing something wrong, he pulled back. His eyes were wary, but Sookie lifted her chin and said, "I had a really nice time tonight."

"Then you'll be coming out with me again?" Breandan asked.

"Yes," Sookie smiled, "I will."

Breandan took her hand. He turned it so he was looking at her palm and when his eyes raised to hers, there was a light in them that was almost familiar. "You are sure that's what you want?" he asked.

There was a sound from the playground, loud laughter and the sound of glass breaking. Breandan turned toward the sound and then looking back, he said, "You better be getting inside. I'll wait until I hear the locks. I want to make sure you're safe." He reached up and stroked her cheek with one finger, then dropping his hand, stepped back, and crossed his hands in front of him.

Sookie was smiling as she stepped inside, but then remembered she hadn't answered his question, so before she closed the door, Sookie turned and said, "Yes, Breandan. I do want to see you again."

"Lock the door, Sookie," he told her, and she could see him through the glass transom, standing on her porch until the last of the deadbolts was engaged.

She didn't watch Breandan walking back toward the waiting car or see her date wave at the black dog that sat just outside the fence surrounding the yard. "I'll let you know when I fuck her," Breandan whispered to the animal as he walked by, never breaking eye contact with the car. "Then you can tell my Father and return home."

Inside, Sookie turned on the lights in her room and floated into bed. She'd never been treated so well by any man and she laughed out loud, feeling every inch the fairytale princess. "And Breandan O'Hara is m _y Prince Charming_ ," she said to the night, and then snuggling under her blankets, Sookie turned out the light.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie was working when Fran called her. "Someone was just here," she said, and she held out a bouquet of flowers.

"Breandan?" and Sookie couldn't help looking out the front windows as she took the flowers from Fran's hands.

"No, he didn't come himself. It was a drop off from the florist, but there's a card," and Fran looked archly toward the bouquet.

Sookie just laughed, "I can't believe it," she said out loud and reached for the envelope.

"I'll take those," Fran took back the flowers. "I'll put them in some water for you. You go ahead and see what he has to say," and as the woman walked away she said, "This is what it means to be courted."

"I like it," Sookie said out loud.

' _I can't wait to see you again'_ the card read, signed by a single ' _B_.'

"So, when are you and the lad stepping out again?" Pat asked as Sookie tucked the card into her apron pocket.

"We didn't set a date," she said, but the thought of Breandan thinking enough to send her flowers at work had her smiling for the rest of the night. When Amelia was getting ready to head out, Sookie told her, "If you see Breandan tonight, tell him I'm thinking about him, too."

"You got it bad, don't you?" Amelia teased.

"Well, he is gorgeous," Sookie teased back, but then, more quietly, "and he seems real nice. I know it's only been the once and he could still turn out to be a big phony, but I really want to believe he's for real."

It was slow after midnight as Tuesdays often were, so Pat announced they'd be closing at one instead of two in the morning, like always. Sookie attacked her side work and scrubbed her station and the other stations, too. It was a little before closing when Pat sent her on her way, and Sookie pulled her coat around her and fished in her pocket for her keys.

As she stepped onto the sidewalk, a familiar voice said, "I could drive you home if you like." Sookie looked up to find Breandan O'Hara standing under the restaurant light. He was wearing a barn coat and for some reason, the way the light shone on him almost made him look as though he was glowing.

"What are you doing here?" Sookie asked.

"I was playing at Sean's," Breandan shrugged. "Amelia gave me your message and it occurred to me that I wanted to see you, too, so I had Sean drop me off."

"And what was your plan if I said no?" Sookie asked, not bothering to hide how pleased she was.

"I figured I'd charm Fran into giving me a lift," Breandan flirted right back.

"Well, I'd hate to lose out to my boss," and Sookie sighed. "I guess I'd better give you a lift home."

They walked side by side the rest of the way to Sookie's car and Breandan asked, "Would you like me to drive? You're probably tired. I know when I've been on my feet, the best time is when I first sit down. I like to close my eyes and just relax for those few minutes."

"Me, too," Sookie agreed almost before she thought about it. She bit her lip, looked at her keys, and then dropped them in Breandan's outstretched hand. "I should warn you that I am pretty tired, so if you think you're going to play some game where you try to kidnap me or run me around town, I'll kill you dead and let you take me with you!"

Breandan looked shocked, and then he looked delighted. "You are sassy!" he grinned.

"And tired," Sookie reminded him, "Don't forget tired, so straight over to Sean's and no delays!"

There was a moment when Breandan put the key in the ignition that Sookie thought, ' _Oh, please start!_ ' It had been colder and lately the car had become a little more temperamental, but that wasn't the problem tonight. When they didn't take the turn toward Commonwealth, Sookie said, "Where are you going?"

"I'm taking you home," Breandan told her. "I've got my transportation waiting over at your place. I'm not going to add time to your night just for me," and he picked up her hand and kissed it. "I just wanted to be able to walk you back up to your door again," he told her, "and hope you'd kiss me like you did last night."

"Thank you for the flowers," Sookie told him. She stared at the bouquet of yellow roses in their vase. She was holding it on her lap.

"I hope we are friends," Breandan told her and when she didn't say anything, he nodded toward the flowers, "They have a language. I thought about pink roses, but they would have been too forward. You're not my sweetheart yet."

"No," Sookie swallowed, then looked out the side window, "not yet."

It seemed Breandan knew where she parked her car because she didn't need to tell him. He just pulled the car into the back of the stores and parked where Sookie always did. She almost asked him about it, but he was outside the door, opening it, and holding out his hand. They walked past the playground, but it was quiet. It wasn't exactly warm, but it was still mild as early October could be. The trees were only just starting to turn, the mild weather delaying things, and Sookie found herself wishing there were a few extra blocks between the house and the car. Before she knew it, they were standing on her front porch and Breandan took the vase from her hands. "Unlock things," he instructed her, so she did. When she reached for the doorknob, he said, "No. Don't open it yet," and he leaned down to set the vase on the porch floor.

"I'm a mess," Sookie protested, but Breandan didn't seem to mind. She was in his arms and she snaked her own around his neck. His lips were more insistent tonight, but so were hers. She sighed and he slipped his tongue into her mouth, sparring and tasting. There was a sound and Sookie realized it was her. Breandan lifted his face from hers and brought his hands up to frame her face.

"You are beautiful," he told her. "I know you are working, but could you come with me tomorrow? Just for lunch. It's supposed to be beautiful. I'll take you to the Esplanade in Boston. We can eat lunch."

His thumb was tracing her lower lip and she wanted to say yes, but then she remembered who she was and what she was doing. "I can't," she sighed. "There are things I need to do. I don't know if Amelia or Sean told you. My Mother is here. I live with her. She's…"

"They told me she's not well," Breandan nodded, then leaned forward to capture Sookie's lips again. He seemed to kiss her for a long time and just when Sookie thought she'd never breath again, he pulled back. "I'm sorry. I wish I could make that better for you."

"I wish you could, too," Sookie told him, then took a steady, definite, step back. "I have to go. You're sure you have a way to get home?"

"I have a motorcycle," Breandan told her. "I dropped it over there earlier," and he gestured toward the far end of the yard. Sookie could see the slight shine of dark metal and she nodded.

"This was really sweet of you," she said, reluctant to leave.

"Not sweet," Breandan growled and he pulled her to him and held her tight. "Just motivated." She could feel him, hard against her stomach, and she was too shocked to protest, and then, just as quickly, he released her, picked up the vase of flowers, and deposited it in her hands. "Sleep well," he said and stepped back, giving her more space.

Sookie swallowed, flustered, and she laughed as much at herself as at the circumstances. She felt happy. "You're a piece of work," she told Breandan, and then slipped inside, wondering in a vague way how she would ever manage to invite him in.

Breandan walked out to the fence. He kept a sharp eye on the house before turning to the vampire who stood in the shadows. "I'm surprised you're still here, Northman," the Fae said.

"So am I," Eric smirked, "but then again," and he looked toward the house, "maybe not."

"You can see things are well in hand," Breandan didn't bother to hide his disgust. "Why linger? Haven't you worked off your debt, or did you get yourself into something particularly difficult? You should know better than betting with my Father. He will take twice out of you whatever the price."

"Spoken like a loyal son," Eric snarked right back. He allowed the Fae to wait and when he sensed that Breandan's temper was rising, only then did Eric say, "Of course, what I'm doing now isn't about debt. It's about gaining concessions."

"What are you talking about?" Breandan flared. He was talking with his Father almost every night, delivering progress reports like a paid lackey, and it grated. What grated more was whenever he questioned his Father about Eric Northman's purpose, his Father told him it was between the vampire and Rogan, to stay out of it!

"I'm surprised you didn't mention the danger the girl faces every night, just walking home," Eric looked toward the playground. "When I described the situation, Rogan was most appreciative I had offered her my services."

"As a dog," Breandan sneered.

"As a protector," Eric corrected. "I'm surprised you didn't take the time to arrange something yourself." Breandan opened his mouth to deliver a cutting remark, but then closed it. The vampire was right and it rankled. He had been too concerned about his mission, not the details surrounding it.

"Why is she so important?" Eric asked. Breandan's eyes snapped over and he almost said something, and then realized that's why the vampire had engineered the conversation the way he had. He'd goaded Breandan, knowing he'd prick the Fae's pride, then he intended to use the Fae's temper to gain the information he wanted.

"Ask my Father," Breandan sneered. "As you've pointed out, I'm just my Father's errand boy. Why do you think he'd confide in me?"

"I did ask," Eric confirmed, a confession which surprised Breandan.

"You're a vampire. She's human. Why do you care?" Breandan asked.

"She's not quite human though, is she?" Eric countered. "She's not high Fae, like you, not a member of the Seelie, but she's definitely not mundane either."

"She's not your concern," Breandan repeated. "It would be better for you if you wrapped up your involvement here, collected your pay, and forgot you ever knew anything about Sookie Stackhouse."

"What about her family?" Eric asked and, for one minute, Breandan wondered if the vampire knew more than he was saying but, in another instant, Breandan dismissed the idea. No one would remember the story about the human and Niall Brigant, and those who were most involved were either incented to stay quiet or dead. Breandan concluded the vampire was talking about Sookie's human relations.

"Her Mother, if that's who she is, is not my concern," Breandan felt that giving that information would not be saying too much.

"She's very ill," Eric had told Breandan this news before. "She won't live long," the vampire added. "I can smell it on her."

"You've been inside?" Breandan hissed.

"No," Eric shook his head. "Without the invitation of the owner of the house, I can't go beyond the fence. I don't have to see the Mother, though. I can smell it on Sookie when she leaves the house at night."

"How long?" Breandan asked. "Can you tell?"

"A month," Eric shrugged. "Maybe more."

Breandan nodded, his mind twirling. It wasn't optimal, but, still, it was a valid excuse. His Father couldn't push too hard if the Mother truly was that close to death and, once she was gone, Sookie would be at loose ends. It would be a perfect time for Sookie to start a new life that would take her overseas. "I have my foot in the door," Breandan nodded. "It shouldn't be much longer, a week, maybe more."

"She is very young in many ways," Eric observed. "Innocent…trusting."

"You are attracted to her," Breandan should have been crowing, but somewhere inside him he felt that tendril of jealousy again, a jealousy that a Fae should never experience.

"I don't know what that means," Eric sighed, "but that doesn't mean I can't recognize something rare when I see it. She is different."

"So you've said before," Breandan shrugged, "What of it?"

"I'm not sure," Eric acknowledged, "but I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy watching you figure it out."

 **xxxXXXxxx**

The vampire's words seemed prophetic. Breandan found he had to work twice as hard as he ever had to engineer time to spend with Sookie. Sookie was working every night. She explained to Breandan how much they needed the money and she refused to consider taking any kind of loan. "What kind of woman would that make me?" she hissed. "I like you, but I'm smart enough to know the fastest way to screw up a friendship is money!" Breandan couldn't disagree.

It took a combination of negotiating and cajoling, but Breandan convinced Sookie that she could slip out to spend one hour most days with Breandan while her Mother napped. It wasn't optimal, but the arrangement had some advantages, first and foremost, by giving Breandan access to the woman. The second advantage was since these rendezvous were during daytime hours, there was no vampire sentinel to watch and make comments, but there turned out to be a third thing that was unexpected.

The short time meant Breandan had to plan carefully to get full advantage of the minutes available, which made him think about Sookie in a different way. For the first time in his life, he considered what another person might find interesting. He spent hours finding the perfect thing that would fit in the tiny time slot. His time examining Sookie Stackhouse taught him there would be parameters for these excursions. She would not enjoy events that were too fussy or cost too much. She preferred things that were entertaining or relaxing, so events with shock value or venues that tested your sensibilities were counterproductive.

As first, the work it took to find perfect venues for each day of the week made Breandan grumpy, but within a short time, his anger turned into grudging, and then active excitement. It became a challenge and the payoff was seeing the look of delight on Sookie Stackhouse's face.

He found a small art gallery that featured watercolor landscapes he thought she'd enjoy. He found a group performing an impromptu acapella concert in a local park. Breandan took her to small restaurants and abandoned riverbeds. He planned each excursion with the intent of charming her, but as each short hour visit passed with Sookie, Breandan came to realize it was he who was being charmed.

It wasn't just the exquisite, jewel-like moments. It was the woman herself.

Sookie Stackhouse never talked about herself unless he pulled it out of her. Instead, she asked about him and the questions she asked! She asked how he grew up. She asked about his favorite music and what color he preferred. When he told her he liked cinnamon, she brought a batch of warm cinnamon cookies to their next afternoon that were so delicate, they melted in his mouth. Before he knew it, he'd eaten them all and when he tried to apologize, she insisted on kissing the sugar from his lips, a reaction that left him wanting more than spice! Sookie was funny and clever. She saw things around her in a different way. When he remarked on it, Sookie laughed and said, "I thank you for that. Believe me, it's the kind of talk that made me an outsider in a whole bunch of places," and the thought that this fascinating woman had been lonely or ostracized awakened other feelings in Breandan he hadn't felt in more years than he could remember.

A week passed, and then another. Hallowe'en was approaching, and although Breandan had yet to be inside Sookie's apartment, he found he could easily deflect his Father's frustration. "She is eating out of my hand," Breandan assured Rogan. "If the Mother wasn't so ill, I would have been inside for dinner already." Sookie had apologized for not introducing Breandan to her Mother. Apparently, Michele had caught a cold and with her impaired immune system, she had to restrict any possible sources of additional infection, including other people.

"Patience!" Breandan chided his Father. "She is an only child, a daughter, and the Mother will die soon. The vampire told me he could smell it and I'm sure he told you as well."

"What about hotel rooms?" his Father groused. "Why not take her to one of those places in your little hour and get between her legs?"

"I think you overrate the value of sex in this situation," Breandan said mirthlessly. "There is a power to consent there, too, especially with this one. Surely, even you agree trying to remove her from her dying mother, a woman she has put aside her own life to help, would not be likely to gain that consent?"

"Are you sure you're not enjoying your little romance more than you should?" Rogan asked. "You seem to have many excuses these days. I begin to doubt your resolve."

"She is not one of us," Breandan said coldly, but his Father read him well. Even as he said it, Breandan felt he was betraying Sookie and it made him realize he liked the woman far more than he should.

"Perhaps I should send Claude there," Rogan said. "It might help you to focus."

"While I always enjoy seeing my cousin, you know Claude would be hard-pressed not to play games. He becomes quickly bored and having both a vampire and human to tinker with might prove irresistible."

"That's right," Rogan chuckled. "Claude loathes Eric. Well," and Breandan could hear his Father was ready to let it go, "it sounds as if you have a plan. You are spending time with her and the vampire reports she speaks of you. You need to meet the Mother. Find a way and make your own assessment. If the vampire is wrong, there might be something I could do to help speed this along."

"I wouldn't recommend it," Breandan heard himself say. "If the woman isn't firmly in thrall to me, her Mother's death could send her into retreat. Time is our friend in this situation. Let me do this my way."

Rogan was quiet and, for a minute, Breandan thought his Father would bark orders, but instead, he sighed. "Time is passing, Breandan. Get it done."


	9. Chapter 8 - Nothing Ventured

**Chapter 8 – Nothing Ventured**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

It was the morning of Michele's third chemo treatment. The transport van arrived and Sookie looped her arm through her Mother's as they walked toward the vehicle. They were warned that this chemotherapy session would result in the worst side effects yet. Sookie was pretty sure her Mother would need her home to take care of her for at least the first few days after they returned from the hospital, so Sookie worked every available hour possible. There was no time for romance and, for five days, Sookie canceled any plans with Breandan. Sookie was surprised at how sharply she felt the loss of seeing him. She hadn't realized how much a part of her life the musician had become. She looked at the neighborhood around her and almost wished she was meeting him instead of being here, then felt guilty for thinking it.

"You're missing your young man, aren't you?" her Mother asked as they settled in the vehicle.

"Yes," Sookie answered, "I guess I am, but this is more important. Breandan can take care of himself. He's a grown man and besides, it's not all that serious between us."

"He's been taking you out almost every day," her Mother told her, "and you come home with a smile. You think I don't know when something special is happening with my own daughter?" Michele leaned against Sookie, "I'll make a confession. I spied on the two of you from the window a couple days ago. Your Breandan is very tall, but you seemed to figure out the kissing part okay."

"I don't think he's 'my' Breandan, and yes, he's pretty tall." Sookie shrugged to cover her embarrassment. The driver was grinning at her in the rear-view mirror, and Sookie couldn't help the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"You think I don't notice things? You even daydream about him when you think no one's watching. I don't know what you call it, but where I come from, folks would say that's pretty serious," her Mother teased.

"I'm not sure what to think about him," Sookie stammered. "It's not like I've made it easy for him, but he keeps coming back."

"Well," Michele patted her hand, "I noticed you've avoided bringing him to meet me. Are you ashamed of him? Or is it me?"

"No!" Sookie exclaimed. "It's not like that! You've been so weak, and then you caught that cold. Breandan's around people all day. He has meetings with people who want to do business with his family, and then he's playing in bars at night. I didn't want to take that kind of risk with you."

"I could point out that you're in restaurants every night. It's not like you're staying away from the public, but I understand," her Mother said. Sookie heard the slightly hurt tone in Michele's voice and wasn't sure her Mother did understand, but as her Mother stared out the window and Sookie thought about her reluctance to introduce Breandan to her Mother, Sookie felt less certain.

Sookie's time with Breandan was light and happy. They laughed and never talked about anything serious. It was as if every day she could escape the hard place of her real life into an exquisite mini-vacation where a handsome, carefree man helped her forget her realities like trading her dreams for becoming a waitress and the grinding tragedy of sickness. She and Breandan never spoke of sorrow or suffering, and Sookie realized that maybe her Mother understood things better than she did.

Everything was ready when they arrived at the Cancer Center, and her Mother was soon in the bed with all her lines in place. "Why don't you sit with me?" Michele asked Sookie. "I'd like you to tell me about this young man of yours."

"I don't think I really know that much about him," Sookie told her, and then surprised them both with how much she really did.

The hours passed while Sookie told her Mother about Breandan's family in Ireland. She told her Mother about the hotels they owned and where they were located. She told Michele about the brewery he was somehow related to and how it had started during the times of The Troubles. She told her Mother the things she'd found out by asking silly questions. She knew the kinds of things he liked to do best, and that he loved cinnamon. "So, that's why you made those cookies!" her Mother sighed, and Sookie blushed when she remembered how she'd liked the aftereffects of the cookies just as much.

Sookie told her Mother some of the stories Breandan had shared with her about how he grew up. "It seems very old-fashioned," her Mother commented.

"I guess I didn't think about it that way," Sookie agreed, "but he is an old-fashioned guy in a lot of ways. He insists he walk next to the road whenever we walk together on sidewalks, and he's big on opening doors and pulling out chairs. I was never one for all of that, but with him? It's kind of nice."

Sookie told her Mother what she knew about Breandan's Father, which wasn't much. "He really runs the family from what Breandan's told me. Breandan says when he gets back, he'll be running a hotel, maybe two. I guess he spent a lot of his teenage years learning the business by being in the office and doing odd jobs."

"It doesn't sound like much of a childhood," her Mother observed, "but then again, you were always too old for your years, too. I know that's supposed to be the oldest child, but you were grown up all your life."

"Well, I know Breandan was an only child and I guess he did grow up kind of fast. His Mother…" and Sookie almost mentioned that Breandan's Mother had died, but she caught herself before the words passed her lips. Somehow, though, her Mother guessed.

"So, his Mother died?" Michele asked and when Sookie didn't answer right away, Michele followed up, "Well, Sookie? Did she?"

Sookie bit her lip and nodded, but Michele just smiled. "See?" she said. "One day you'll have that in common, too."

Quick tears fell down Sookie's cheeks, but her Mother smiled and tutted, "Now, now! I didn't mean to make you cry. You're talking about a man that makes your face light up, and that should never make any woman sad. Why don't you tell me about his music? You said he's a musician? What kind of instrument does he play?" Sookie took a deep breath, swiped at her face with the back of her hand, and launched into a description of how Breandan played fiddle. She talked about the two performances she'd seen and the way he held his instrument and the songs he sang. She talked about how people would stand up and clap and how Breandan held his own with vocals. Michele asked Sookie if she'd taken any video of the band performing, and Sookie obliged by pulling out her phone and finding the clip to run for her Mother. The light quality wasn't good, but the sound came through, and Michele had her play the clip twice.

"He really is talented," Michele smiled, but then she winced a little and they stopped talking as Sookie's Mom closed her eyes and waited for the discomfort to pass. After a bit, Michele shifted on the bed, then opening her eyes said, "I really love the idea of you sitting around in the evening, everyone musical. And Irish music? You love that! I could just see you in Ireland, all cozy, listening to fiddle music into the night, couldn't you?"

Sookie decided to ignore her Mother's blatant pushing, instead mentioning how easily Breandan met new people. "He has the most easy way. It's like people are just drawn to him, and he loves to talk. Before you know it, perfect strangers are like your best friend!"

"I remember when you were a little girl, all you wanted when you grew up was to travel and meet new people," Michele reminded Sookie. "If you ended up with Breandan, you'd probably go live in Ireland. He's here in the United States, looking at new hotels. Who knows where he might be thinking about another new hotel and you could travel with him. It could be in Europe or anywhere, and in the hotel business, you'd meet new people all the time. What a wonderful adventure that would be!" Michele rubbed the back of Sookie's hand with her thumb. "It would make me so happy to think that after everything, how wonderful and strong you've been, your dreams would come true, Sweetheart."

"It's a lovely idea, Mom, but not very practical," Sookie smiled. "I'm really not sure exactly how long Breandan's planning on staying in the United States, but I'm sure his visa isn't going to allow him to stay here indefinitely. I live here. You live here. I'm not leaving any time soon and the fact is, I probably won't ever leave. You're stuck with me, like white on rice. When Breandan finishes his business, he'll go home and I'm okay with that. That's why I'm not getting too involved. I won't tell you I'm not having fun. I am, but when he goes, he goes and that's the end of it."

"My beautiful, practical girl!" Michele smiled, "But what you're talking about could be months and months away. A million things could happen between now and then. If this Breandan O'Hara makes you happy, and I see that he does, don't short change yourself because of something that might happen. If there's one thing this whole mess of an experience has taught me, it's that life is too short not to live every moment as if it counts. Take the chance, Sookie! Finding real happiness with another person doesn't come around that often. You'd be silly to ignore it when it's right in front of you."

Sookie tried to reason with her Mother, but Michele was having none of it, and by the time her Mother drifted to sleep, the poison dripping into her veins, Sookie was half-convinced Breandan O'Hara and she had too many points in common to not to have some reason Fate wanted them together.

"Maybe I'm just afraid," she told her sleeping Mother. It made sense. There was nothing about this process and the life she now led that wouldn't frighten any sane person.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Breandan knew Sookie's Mother had gone through another round of chemotherapy. While they hadn't communicated in awhile, Sookie had told him the date they were scheduled to go into the hospital and she told him not to expect to hear from her after they returned. What he didn't expect was for a day to become several days, and then a full week of total silence.

At first, Breandan told himself the reason he was anxious was about having nothing to report to his Father. Rogan had taken to calling nightly, but in the last two days, Breandan stopped thinking about his Father. He didn't answer his Father's calls nor listen to the voicemails he left.

Breandan had appointments today, but he blew off those meetings pleading fictional conflicts and instead, paced the length of his apartment, sending texts, and leaving his own messages that flipped immediately to the voicemail on Sookie's phone. As soon as he heard Sean return from classes, Breandan walked across the hall, hoping his friend had news through Amelia, but Sean just shrugged and said, "Sorry, dude, Amelia hasn't heard from her either."

"She's not answering my texts," Breandan fumed. "Sookie and her Mother have been back for two days and now two nights. Why isn't she answering me?" Breandan flipped his phone over, checking his messages again.

"I don't know why you're flipping," and Sean shook his head. "You know she's dealing with her Mother." The look Sean was giving him spoke eloquently. Sean Callahan thought Breandan was crazy. "So, if you came over here to play, you should get your fiddle," Sean informed him, then sat down, leaned back, and picked up his guitar. His fingers ran over the bridge of the new piece they were working on, but Sean didn't stop staring.

"Of course," Breandan nodded. "I'm not being rational. I'll get it," and he walked across the hall and returned, fiddle in hand. Sean was working through the piece, and Breandan quickly tuned the strings. Sean started to play the piece from the beginning, but when Breandan missed his cue, Sean didn't bother to hide his irritation, "You in?"

"I guess," and Dan brought the instrument under his chin, then turned it right back around to sit on his knee as he picked up the phone again. "You don't think she's avoiding me, do you?" he asked, scrolling up and down his rolodex of messages again.

"You're acting like a psycho!" and Sean stood. "I told you what Amelia said. Sookie called out of work and she never does that. She told Amelia before they went that this one was going to be rough. I guess it is," and when Breandan made a noise, Sean shook his head and laid down his guitar. "Your head isn't in this. Look, I'm going to go pick up Amelia. She'll be off work in an hour. Just do yourself a favor and go over there. Knock on the door and talk to the girl. She can't ignore you if you're on her doorstep. She'll tell you how things are going and you can get your shit together."

"And what if she won't open the door?" Breandan carped. "In all the times I've been over there, she's never invited me in to see her place or meet her Mother."

"Hey, maybe it's like you're thinking," Sean shrugged, "maybe Sookie is dumping your ass, but at least you'll know." Sean pulled out his keys and tossed them at Breandan. "Here, take my car. I'll take the T to the diner. It'll make Amelia feel sorry for me and she's always nicer to me when she's feeling sorry."

"I don't think she's dumping me," Breandan hissed, but the uncertainty of the situation was making him worry. Breandan had never had to rely on his personality to get what he wanted. With the Fae, you always knew where you stood. Everyone else succumbed to glamour…except Sookie. Breandan barely threw out a 'thanks' before he was out the door, fiddle case in hand. If his Father had caught him at this moment and asked why he was upset about Sookie Stackhouse, Breandan didn't think he would say it was about failing. Somehow this hybrid, mongrel, all-too-human woman had gotten under his skin and the idea that she didn't feel the same way was confounding!

It was in the way she wasn't distracted by how he looked, or maybe it was because she was immune to his charms. Breandan was pretty sure that, to Sookie Stackhouse, it wouldn't matter what he looked like or how much money he had in his bank account. He was sure that what mattered to Sookie was who he was, and when he believed that she liked him, maybe even loved him a little, it made him absurdly happy. Now, he wasn't as sure.

The drive across town didn't take long. It was past the dinner hour and traffic had slowed. Breandan parked on the street in front of her house, even though he knew it guaranteed he'd get a ticket.

Breandan walked to the tree line near the fence and whistled. When Eric Northman didn't appear, the Fae called out, "Here, doggie! Come here, boy!"

"I'm sure you think that's funny," the vampire said from behind Breandan.

"I just wanted to make sure you were still here," Breandan told him, and then he turned to look at the house. There were lights on upstairs and a shadow passed in front of the curtained window.

"You should leave her alone," Eric was also looking at the second-floor windows. "They have trouble. She doesn't need more troubles at her door."

"And you think that's what I am?" Breandan asked.

"Are you going to tell me I'm wrong?" but the vampire didn't look at the Fae.

"I don't want to hurt her," Breandan replied and he turned to hold Northman's eyes. "I find that I care about her. I care about what will happen to her."

"Is that what your Father told you to say?" Eric didn't bother to hide his lack of trust.

"You don't know anything!" Breandan snarled.

"They haven't left the house," Eric ignored the Fae's outburst. "They haven't gone out for groceries or to take out the garbage."

Breandan stilled as he considered what the vampire was saying, "But she could have gone out during the day," he offered.

"I would smell it," the vampire told him. "The last time they left was three days ago, and that was for the hospital."

Breandan stared at the vampire, and then nodded, his mind made up. Breandan started walking toward the house, his pace picking up until he was almost running. He paused on the porch, almost decided against it, and then hearing someone shuffling inside, he knocked.

He bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited through the sound of deadbolts turning and then the door swung open. The man on the other side stared at him myopically and Breandan knew this was Sookie's landlord. "Who are you?" the man demanded.

"I'm Breandan O'Hara," Breandan told him, not bothering to offer his hand. "I'm the boyfriend. I haven't heard from Sookie or her Mom in a couple days, so I've come to check up on them."

"Michele is sick," Sam said.

"She's more than sick," Breandan corrected, "Sookie told me her Mother has cancer. I'm just going to run upstairs and make sure they're okay."

Sam looked confused before saying, "I don't know if I should let you…"

Breandan tried to catch the man's eye, but then he stopped. This man couldn't see, so he couldn't be glamoured. ' _What is it about this house?_ ' Breandan growled internally.

With no other tactic available, Breandan resorted to bullying. "So, what about it? Have you checked on them today? Have you seen whether they need help?" It was a low blow, calling out this man with his failing vision on 'seeing' things with his own eyes, but Breandan didn't care. "Sookie wouldn't ignore my texts if everything was okay. I'm worried about them," the Fae added in a slightly pleading tone.

"Sookie told me she was seeing someone," and Sam made it sound like an accusation.

"She is," Breandan confirmed and he felt absurdly pleased that Sam knew about him, "and I'm that man."

For a minute, Breandan believed Sam would slam the door in his face, but instead, he opened it and glanced in the direction of another closed door. Sam probably assumed the Fae knew the way, but the landlord's staring made clear the second door was where Breandan needed to go. "Thanks," he told Sam, stepping past the man and turning the second doorknob, which mercifully opened to a staircase. "I'm sure Sookie will be grateful," and Breandan was pulling the door shut behind him and taking the stairs by twos.

"Sookie?" he called when he reached the top of the staircase. "Sookie? I don't want to startle you. It's me, Breandan. Are you here?" and Sookie came out of a room. Her hair was dirty and her face was pale. Her mouth was downturned, but before she could say anything, there was the sound of retching coming from the room behind her. As Breandan watched, Sookie's face crumpled and she dashed away quick tears.

"It's okay," Breandan's words sounded awkward. "Go take care of her," and Sookie turned and walked back into the room she'd come from, shutting the door behind her.

Breandan swallowed. The apartment smelled terrible. He wanted to turn around and walk right back out the door. The sound of the woman he assumed was Sookie's mother being sick wasn't stopping. He could hear the low murmur he recognized as Sookie trying to comfort her. There was nothing in Breandan's past to really prepare him for this kind of situation, but he straightened his spine anyway and acting on instinct said in a low voice, "Okay, let's see what we've got."

Instead of walking out of the apartment, he walked in further to find the small kitchen. It held a table and chairs and some basic appliances he recognized from his own apartments. There was no dishwasher and the sink, counter, and table were piled with dirty dishes. There was a washer and dryer off to the side. There were two plastic baskets overflowing with dirty laundry. Sookie walked into the kitchen with a bundle in her arms. She glanced at Breandan before pushing the soiled sheets down into one of the baskets and Breandan caught the odor.

"Now is not a good time," Sookie said shortly, "You should go."

The Fae glanced around. "You need help, Sookie," he told her.

"Yes, I do!" Sookie snapped, "But there's no insurance, and I can't afford to pay a nurse, so it's all on me and right now, I don't have time to play games with you. I have something more important that needs to get done, so if you wouldn't mind…" and she looked at him, making it clear that he needed to leave.

Breandan's head told him Sookie was right. He should leave and return another time. His feet almost started moving toward the door. This was way more than he had bargained for and he couldn't imagine even his Father, greedy as he was, expecting him to remain in this kind of mess. Breandan didn't have any experience with sick people. The Fae were never sick and there was no reason for him to spend any time around sick humans. It wasn't done, but then another tear slipped over Sookie's cheek and she dashed it away, her face angry.

It was seeing her sadness that made something shift inside of Breandan. In the months that would follow, Breandan thought of this moment and wondered if Sookie used the same magic that had called the Selkies to her because suddenly, all Dan wanted to do was help her. Instead of leaving as she'd asked, he set his fiddle down on the empty kitchen chair, took off his coat, and proceeded to roll up his sleeves.

"What are you doing?" Sookie demanded. Breandan could hear an edge of panic in her voice and he stopped to look at her face under the light.

"When's the last time you slept, Sookie?" He didn't wait for an answer. Instead, he opened cabinet doors so he could see where things belonged and started to put away the few dry dishes in the dish drain.

"It doesn't matter. My Mom's been really sick this time," Sookie's voice was shaky. From the other room, they could hear Michele's voice, thin and weak. "Look, I've got to go help her. She threw up on the bed and I've got to figure out how to make it up again," and she looked at the overflowing basket of laundry.

Breandan nodded, "Go on," he told her. "Everything will be all right." When Sookie walked from the room, Breandan found the plug for the kitchen sink and some towels. While cleaning a house wasn't anything he had ever done personally, there was something primal about helping those the Fae favored. It was something they did. They cobbled shoes and finished carpentry jobs for humans who found their favor. They churned butter and spun straw into cloth. If a Fae wished you well, it was easily done, so Breandan's hands flew, fueled by magic and his sincere wish to help Sookie. The sink filled with hot, soapy water and the washer began its first cycle.

While technically his hands were doing the work, Breandan didn't need to know how things were done. Machines simply worked for him and dishes guided themselves through the process. When the dish drain was full, he placed added ones on towels spread over the counters. The kitchen was almost clean by the time Sookie returned.

"How did you do this?" She walked over to Breandan and placed her hand on his arm. She was wide-eyed and all Breandan could see were the dark circles around the eyes of this vulnerable, strong, sassy woman.

"I wanted it," he told her, then felt in that moment how true his words were. Sookie laughed a little and pulled the damp towel from where he'd tucked it into the front of his pants to serve as an apron. As she turned to set it on the counter, Breandan wrapped her in his arms and she turned to wrap her arms around him, too. She laid her head against his chest and the Fae felt his too cold heart flip and then warm.

"I'm glad you came," Sookie whispered against his shirt and Breandan's arms squeezed her tighter. Sookie felt that wonderful feeling, the one she'd only felt with her Father before. It was the one that promised her she was fine and everything would turn out for the best.

"Will you take a shower?" Breandan's voice rumbled against her ear. When Sookie's eyes turned up to him, he laughed! "You smell!" he told her, and then didn't bother hiding his relief after Sookie laughed in return.

"She needs to settle first," Sookie glanced back at the hall. "If Mom isn't sick again in the next fifteen minutes, she'll be able to sleep. Then I can shower if you promise to listen for her. If she needs anything, you have to call me…" and Sookie stopped talking.

"Sounds like a plan," Breandan assured her. Sookie's stomach chose that moment to growl, so Breandan asked, "Have you had anything to eat today?"

"Not yet," Sookie shrugged. "I've been too busy."

Breandan released Sookie and headed to the refrigerator. "I could make you an omelet?"

"Smells can trigger her," Sookie shrugged again, "but thanks for offering."

Undeterred, Breandan picked up the loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter he'd seen in the cabinet. "Fine, sandwich then," he said in his most upbeat tone.

The look on Sookie's face was worth it. She smiled. She sat down. She said, "Thank you," and Breandan's chest tightened until it expanded in a most pleasurable way. "It's nothing," he replied, feeling as if he was, indeed, someone noble, a knight to his Princess. He poured her milk and set it beside her.

"I'm not a child," Sookie laughed, pointing to the milk.

"No, you're not," he agreed, then made a point of peeking down her shirt to emphasize his point.

Sookie caught him as she was meant to do, and laughed as she pulled her shirt closer, "Lech!" she accused.

"Hopeful," he countered, and then turned to move things between the washer and dryer. The sheets in the basket would need rinsing in the sink first, and Sookie started to protest when he dumped them in and began to run the water. "Sit down!" Breandan ordered and pointed to the clock. "Finish your sandwich. It's already been ten minutes; fifteen and you get in the shower. You'll be doing me a favor."

"Why are you doing this?" Sookie asked.

Breandan didn't stop to think of what to tell her. He just told her the truth. "Because I feel things for you I haven't felt for anyone in a very long time," and the honesty of his words warmed him to the tips of his fingers.

"I feel something for you, too," Sookie told him, "but I'm not sure where this can go. We don't know each other well and I already know how different we are. We come from such different places. I don't think it's fair for me to be making you any promises."

"I'm not asking you to," Breandan told her, but some part of his happiness was diminished.

When Sookie walked her dish to the sink, the Fae glanced at the clock again. "Fifteen minutes," he reminded her.

"You're sure?" she asked again. "I won't take long and after I'm out, please don't have feel obligated to stay."

Breandan laughed at her, "Believe me, I never do things out of a sense of obligation! I'm here because I wish it."

Once she left, Breandan opened his fiddle case, wondering if playing a little music would be a problem. He decided to finish drying all the dishes and put things away first. He took his time, learning where things were stored. He sorted cans, making him curious about the kinds of things Sookie and her Mother ate. It seemed there was little about this woman that didn't fascinate him.

Sookie had been so relieved to be able to stand under the hot spray of the shower! She felt so grateful to Breandan and, although she knew it was idealistic, her heart pulled toward him; however, seeing him rifling through her cabinets put her back on alert. "What are you doing?" Sookie all but snapped.

Breandan hadn't realized how much time had passed and spun around, looking guilty, but then, he smiled. Sookie stood before him, her hair wet, and dressed in a soft sweatshirt, yoga pants, and socks. "I'm snooping," he admitted happily and without a bit of shame. "More importantly, are you feeling better?"

"Yes," she nodded. She looked around the kitchen again, her face a mixture of gratitude and grief, "You really didn't have to…"

"I'm where I want to be," he interrupted her, and then stepped in to pull her back against him. "You smell much better," and he sighed at how right it felt to have her within his embrace. Sookie wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight, and then she yawned.

"You're very tired!" Breandan scolded her. "You should sleep."

"I couldn't, not yet," Sookie protested. "She's just dropped off. She'll be up again. It's too soon."

"You are exhausted," and Breandan ran his finger down the side of her face. "Look, I frequently stay up all night. It's a fact of the hotel industry and I've had plenty of sleep this week. I'll sit up and keep an eye out. Maybe you have a television? You could get some sleep…"

"But, if she needs me…" Sookie swallowed.

"I'll wake you," he promised. Sookie agreed and Breandan followed her to the small sitting room they had set up between the bedrooms. There wasn't much, a couch, a table, and a chair. There was a flat screen TV on the wall that Sookie turned on.

"It's basic," she apologized, "but we have some CDs and you can play them right in the set," she showed him the slot and how the unit worked.

Breandan settled back and checked the time. It was going on one a.m. He heard Sookie shifting around in the other bedroom, and then things got quiet. "You really are an ass!" Breandan scolded himself, but he didn't mean it. For the first time in a long time, Breandan O'Hara felt like someone who was important to someone else and it made him glow with contentment.

Not a half hour went by when he heard the moan from the opposite bedroom followed by the sounds of someone stumbling, and then feet headed across the floor. Breandan rose and peered inside the bathroom. A skeletal woman leaned over the toilet. The knobs of her spine stood in stark relief and reminded him of dinosaur bones. She turned toward him as she wiped her mouth. "Who are you?" she croaked. Her voice wasn't as panicked as it should have been, just defeated.

The vampire had been right. The smell of death clung to this woman and over rid any other scents. It was the cloying, musty, smelled of old leaves upon a forest floor and it made Breandan's nostrils flare. "I'm Breandan," he told her, swallowing back his revulsion. "I'm Sookie's friend."

"Well," and she laid her cheek on the toilet seat, "this sure isn't how I thought we'd meet." Sookie's Mother sighed, closing her eyes, swallowing hard, and then breathing through her nose. Breandan wondered for a moment if she'd dropped back off to sleep she was so still.

Breandan wasn't sure what to do, and so he sat down on the edge of the tub next to her. He lay his hand on her back and let his magic flow into her. It wouldn't fix her, just help her over her immediate distress.

Michele opened her eyes. She didn't say anything, but Breandan thought she might feel what he'd done. "Could you do me a favor?" she asked.

"If I can," he answered.

"Flush the toilet for me? I'm too weak to reach."

The Fae stood and as he leaned over, Michele took the chance to really look at him. There was something there. He didn't look exactly like Corbett but, the sense of a resemblance was so sharp, it made her breath catch! Michele knew she should feel anxious and embarrassed to be seen in such a state by this stranger. She knew her nightgown was stained and her hair hung dankly against her cheeks and forehead. Her mouth tasted terrible, but she just couldn't find the energy for any of those things. "Could you get a towel?" she asked. "Just soak it in some water for me?"

Breandan did as she asked and handed it to her. "Thank you," she sighed, and then sucked the moisture from the towel. Her throat was burning and her lips were cracked.

"Would you like me to get you a glass of water?" Sookie's handsome suitor's face was close to hers and he touched her again, this time her shoulder. She felt it. It was like a thin thread of energy giving her much needed strength.

"No," Michele sighed. "No water. I'll just throw it back up." She closed her eyes again and then, unexpectedly, she felt her stomach shudder and she leaned over to throw up more bile.

His hand returned, pressed against her back, and then stroked her. "There, there now," he murmured and he started humming a tune. The combination of music and the man's touch increased the hint of well-being Michele began to feel. She thought, ' _It's a miracle_ ,' as she felt her stomach settle. Turning, she sighed before asking, "Could you do me another favor? Could you go and get Sookie?"

"She's sleeping," Breandan told her. "What is it you need?"

"I just want to go back to my bed," Michele whispered. "I don't think I can get up, though. I just want to…" and Michele felt despair overcoming her.

"Well, that I can help you with," Breandan interrupted her. He stood and slipped his hands under her shoulders. "You tell me if I'm hurting you," he said quietly. It wasn't comfortable, being hoisted up, but Michele managed. She took a deep breath, getting ready for the long, exhausting walk to her room when Breandan reached around her and picked her up in his arms as if she was a child.

"Oh, goodness!" Michele exclaimed and Breandan chuckled. It was a good sound and Michele found herself chuckling, too.

He carried her to her room and laid her down on her bed carefully. He pulled the sheets to straighten them, tucked her in and, when she shivered, Breandan walked to the kitchen, returning with a clean blanket. "There now," he told her. "It that all right, then?"

"How old are you?" Michele asked him.

"Twenty-four," Breandan replied. "Too old for you?" giving her a flirty grin.

"Just right for Sookie," Michele replied, and then smiling wanly, she asked, "Will you sit down and talk with me?"

"If you wish," Breandan answered. He rose and disappeared into the hallway, returning a minute later, carrying a kitchen chair.

"She likes you very much," Michele told him.

"I like her, too," Breandan sat back, crossing his leg over his knee. "She's special, your Sookie, but I have to ask. It's a curious name."

"My husband insisted I choose the children's names. He told me I should use old, family names, so I named Sookie for my great-aunt. I never knew her, but she was my Mother's favorite. My Mom always said her Aunt Sookie was the strongest woman she knew, so I wanted to name my daughter for her," Michele told him.

"What was she like as a girl? Our Sookie?" Breandan asked.

"Well, 'our' Sookie was adventurous," Michele told him. "She had an independent streak a mile wide and she didn't like to take directions from anyone. She wanted to do everything her own way. Of course," and Michele looked out the window, "it was probably for the best. With the way we moved, Sookie never had a lot of friends. She had to be pretty self-sufficient."

"Sookie told me her brother is in the Navy," Breandan offered.

"He is finding his own way," Michele nodded. "He was always more like me. He needed structure, but Sookie? She was more like my husband."

It was the opening for which Breandan had been waiting. "Where did you meet your husband?" he asked.

"In Minnesota," and Michele's eyes lit up. Breandan had seen it before, the sudden energy a human in thrall would exhibit, to be as much as talking about their Fae lover. "We were in school together. You know, his Mother was Irish, from Ireland."

"What was her name?" Breandan tried to keep his voice light, but his hands had clenched, all the same.

"Clare," Michele answered him. "She was old even when I met her! I got the impression Corbett's Father died before he was born. I don't know why I thought that, but there were no pictures of him, not even one. I always thought it was terrible, but now…" and Michele's eyes wandered to the ceiling, "Now, maybe, I understand." Her eyes came back to look at Breandan, "There's not a morning I waken when I don't expect to see him beside me."

"You sound as though you miss him," Breandan said sympathetically.

"I miss him every day," and Michele looked small and lost. Hers was a classic case and Breandan was more certain he had found Niall's lost family. The details all seemed to fit.

"You know what hurts me most though?" Michele asked and her eyes took on a sly look. After Breandan shook his head, she continued, "It's knowing when I'm gone, Sookie will be all alone. I worry she won't be able to follow her dreams. I worry that all of this," and Michele waved her hand to mean herself, "will drain the happiness out of her."

Breandan stilled. He knew what Michele was really asking and he found he didn't need to think through his answer. He told her the truth, "I am courting your daughter. Unless she decides to reject me, I would like her to return to Ireland with me."

Michele stared at Breandan for a long moment. She didn't ask Breandan about marriage or why he was making this kind of declaration so suddenly. Instead, she said "It would be best if you didn't say that to Sookie. She's too practical for such talk and it would only worry her. Best we keep this between us," and then she changed the subject by saying, "Sookie tells me you play music. Do you like it?"

"I've never thought much about it," the Fae replied. "It's just a part of me," and then, looking away, asked, "Would you like me to play you something?"

Breandan had just launched into a second waltz, his strings muted so the sound wouldn't carry too far, when Sookie appeared at the door. "What's going on? Mom? Are you okay?" Sookie looked disoriented and sleep befuddled, as though she'd just been pulled from a deep sleep.

"Hi, Sweetheart. I'm right as rain!" her Mother told her. "I think listening to Breandan's playing makes my nausea better. Go figure!" and she smiled at her daughter who came in to sit on the side of the bed, her knees touching Breandan's.

They sat there, all together, while Breandan played another song. "I'm tired," Michele announced as the tune drew to an end. "I think I'd like to sleep now." She smiled at Sookie and squeezed her hand, then turned to Breandan, "Thank you," she told him. "I am so glad I finally met you, even if it was like this. Sookie told me you were special. You really are."

Breandan glanced at Sookie and he wondered for a moment she'd really told her Mother that, but then Sookie looked at him and she was smiling, and he felt his heart expand. "Perhaps I should head for home," he stumbled. "It's very late."

"Don't be silly!" Michele told him. "If I get up first, which do you like more? Tea or coffee?" Sookie made a noise, but Michele just looked at Breandan.

"Which do you prefer?" he asked in return.

"Tea," Michele answered and Breandan nodded.

He rose and left the room with Sookie trailing him, turning off the light, and pulling her Mother's door closed. Breandan headed into the kitchen and laid his fiddle back in its case. There was a tea kettle on the stove. It was simmering and Breandan figured Sookie must have put it on before checking on her Mom.

Sookie still didn't look entirely awake. She was standing in front of the stove, staring at the wall above it. Breandan watched her, wondering whether he should leave when the kettle started to whistle and Sookie jumped. She turned off the burner and grabbed the teapot's handle but, in her exhaustion, she forgot the potholder. With a shriek, Sookie dropped the kettle and it bounced hard.

"Let me get that," Breandan was beside her at once. He lifted the pot, putting it back on the stove, then took her scalded hand and held it flat. He blew his cool breath across it, healing it in an instant, then rubbed the uninjured sides of her hand with his thumbs, and turned his eyes to hers. "There, there, my Sookie. It will all be all right now," he purred. When she continued to stare at him, he dipped his head and captured her lips with his own.

They seemed to kiss for a long time. His lips moved over hers and he lifted her onto the counter so her face was on the same level with his. He stroked the seam of her lips with his tongue and she opened her mouth willingly to admit him, and so they explored each other with long, lazy strokes. His hands moved over her, first lightly, then more insistently, and her hands pulled his shirt from his pants so she could run her fingers over his skin. When he hissed, she withdrew her fingers, instead reaching behind him to pull the elastic from his hair. It fell with a rush, a cascade of rich brown that flowed over her fingers to rest on Breandan's shoulders.

"Will you have me?" he asked her and he stilled, staring into her eyes.

Sookie stared right back. She saw his full lips and the dark smolder of his eyes. "I will," she replied and she wrapped her legs around him after he lifted her to carry her down the hall to her bedroom.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

The light was streaming through her window. Sookie had been lying awake for some time, her arms crossed over her breasts under the blanket, cataloguing how her body felt. She figured with the handful of hours she'd slept and the gymnastics she and Breandan had performed earlier, she'd be sore, but she didn't feel it. While Sookie believed she had a pretty good idea of the many ways she could be pleasured, she'd found out there were a few more.

Breandan had taken his time last night uncovering her, and then encouraging her to uncover him. He had taken her hands, begging her to explore his body. Sookie had been surprised how pleasurable it was to make him hiss and arch under her. He showed her how to hold him and how to use her nails to scratch "just a little." He encouraged her to use her teeth, and then sucked her finger before instructing her how to insert it in his ass while he filled her.

Taking Breandan into her for the first time had been perfect. He'd stretched her with his fingers beforehand, using his mouth on her to build the tension so perfectly she was begging and pleading. Sookie wasn't a virgin, but this was different. Breandan O'Hara had brought her to orgasm so quickly, Sookie had to bite her arm to keep from crying out. He had her wrap her heels around him, the whole time whispering in her ear, making her pay attention to every sensation he dragged from her body. He turned her around and pushed her to her knees, entering her from behind, then pulled her up so her back was flush against his chest, stroking her with his fingers as he moved within her.

Each time was a revelation; Breandan's imagination and endurance seeming to be unending. He found things in her she didn't know she had, and Sookie exalted as he groaned and begged as affected as she was by their mutual passion.

Taking him into her mouth had proven challenging. Breandan had a hard time not moving faster and deeper than was comfortable, but then he laid her down and moved over her so that he could use his mouth at the same time she used hers and, before she knew it, Sookie was taking him almost all the way into her throat. His tongue was within her, massaging her and she moaned and, in that moment, he came, but he was tonguing her so deeply, she came, too.

"You are perfect," he sighed as he wrapped her against him, her limbs entwined with his. "I never wish to let you go," and she snuggled against him, feeling safe and happy as she drifted to sleep.

Below, the vampire watched as the light in Sookie's bedroom was turned off. He couldn't help the growl that escaped him. He had no proof, but he was certain the Brigants were up to something and that it wouldn't be good for the Stackhouses.

Eric pulled out his phone and started making arrangements to return to Ireland. He also texted Rogan. He delivered his final report, telling the Fae King his son was now a resident of Sookie Stackhouse's bed. Eric had no illusions. Breandan would make certain his invitation wasn't rescinded. He would be charming and attentive. He felt his lip curl again and he stabbed at the keys, spelling out the reminder to Rogan of their deal, and Eric Northman intended to collect.

Once he hit send, he found his attention had drifted to the bedroom window again. He had half-hoped to see Breandan coming through the front door, but he knew it was a fool's hope. "Stay safe, Sookie," Eric said into the night, and then he turned and walked away.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Tell me you're awake," Breandan whispered as he rolled toward her, his brogue thick with morning.

Sookie turned on her side and Breandan smiled. Sookie couldn't understand how this man could look so perfect in the morning. She was sure her hair was sticking up in a rat's nest and her eyes were a mess! His hair wasn't much shorter than hers, but somehow it hung perfectly, framing his long-jawed face.

Breandan stroked her cheek with his thumb. "You are beautiful," he told her and she smiled to think she had just been thinking the same thing of him.

Sookie glanced down and laughed at the evidence that Breandan was wide awake. "You need some help with that?" Sookie whispered.

"I wouldn't mind a helping hand," Breandan teased, then his playful face became more serious. He moved down the bed, pulling her legs toward him, and used his tongue to lick and probe. Sookie was soon moving restlessly against his mouth. When she grabbed his hair, pulling him toward her, he moved up, bringing her knees up toward her chest in the same motion. "You may be a little swollen today," he told her and when he pushed within her, she winced.

Breandan stilled. "I'll help," He was aching with need, but proved he could be patient as he leaned back, bringing his knees under Sookie's hips. He lifted her feet so they rested on either side of his thighs, spit into his own hand, and started to rub Sookie's clit. "You should see how you look," he purred. Sookie could feel herself opening to him, allowing him to move deeper within her. "The sight of my cock stretching you makes me hard as a rock." Breandan's fingers were talented and soon Sookie, too, was panting, arching, and pressing her feet against the bed to gain leverage, trying to take more of him. Breandan brought his hand to his mouth again, this time wetting his fingers, drawing them in and out of his mouth in a way that reminded Sookie of what was happening below. He reached over her and painted her nipples, which peaked in the slight chill of the room and then he pinched them before returning to pinch her clit. Breandan reached under her, massaging her other hole and her eyes flew open to look at him.

Holding her eyes with his own, he pressed his finger into her, simulating the motion of his cock and Sookie found her breath hitching up another notch as she felt the coil of her orgasm building. She was getting tighter and tighter, and then Breandan's hands grabbed her own as he stretched out over her. His hair fell around her, framing his face so he was all she saw. Everything was sensation and warmth. Every motion drove her higher and as she felt herself reach that endless crest, only to fall, her body clenching and shuddering, she glanced at her bureau mirror. She saw Breandan's profile and his arms framing her. She saw his clenched jaw and the ripple of his muscles while he moved over her. She opened her mouth in a final, soundless cry and, in that same moment, he threw his head back and she saw his ears and they matched her own.

For one long moment, he didn't move, the muscles of his neck corded, his mouth open, and then he gasped, and he gasped again. Sookie could feel him pulsing within her. "I am yours, woman! I am yours," he groaned, and although Sookie felt uneasy about the reflection she saw, she also felt an unreasonable sense of rightness as Breandan collapsed on top of her and she wrapped her arms around him, cradling his head between her breasts.


	10. Chapter 9 - Doors Close

**Chapter 9 – Doors Close**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Breandan lay still. His heart was pounding and his limbs were growing heavy, his body relaxing into the afterglow of good sex. He was sure he was crushing Sookie, but he didn't want to move his head from where it rested on her. He could feel her, the fresh, pure joy of her, and it felt like Spring.

She wasn't like humans. You couldn't feel them. You could see them and experience them through their words and their body language, but you never felt in the moment with them as you did with Fae. Yet, Sookie wasn't quite Fae, either. The sensation he received from Sookie was purer, somehow. With Fae, even in moments like these, there were so many layers. You shared in this way, but with the knowledge that just beneath the surface there were emotions and flavors being withheld, private things not meant for you.

This wasn't like that. The emotions and essence Sookie shared with him were pure, unadulterated. He felt her joy and he felt her acceptance of him. He knew she harbored reservations, yet it still felt open and honest. Mostly, Sookie was happy and, more specifically, she was happy with him and Breandan basked in how it made him feel about himself.

"Breandan?" her voice was a little tight and she tugged his hair. "You are going to have to move."

"I don't want to let you go," he whispered against her sweet-smelling skin.

"Well, you won't have to!" Sookie laughed, "Just roll over a little so I can hold you back."

With a sigh, Breandan obliged. He was careful, shifting her closer to the wall on her too-narrow bed. She rolled with him and brought her head close to his shoulder, her breath blowing across his skin, and then she surprised him by gripping him in her hand and pulling him closer.

"You're very good with this," she teased, tugging a little so he knew what she meant. He couldn't hide his delighted surprise. He expected some embarrassment from her. That's what humans did. They enjoyed the experience, then felt some mild shame in the morning, but not Sookie.

Breandan was hardening in her hand, "You haven't had enough?" he asked, half hoping.

She ran her thumb over the head and he twitched, "Of this? Not hardly!" and the way she said it had Breandan laughing. He pulled her toward him so he could kiss her, but she made a face. "Hold that thought! I can taste my mouth and I'm pretty sure my breath could peel paint." With a saucy smile, she used her hand on his hip as leverage to crawl over him. He couldn't help slapping her round rump as she scrambled past, so she reciprocated by pulling his hair and then skipping out of range so he couldn't grab her back.

Sookie picked up his shirt from the floor and pulled it around her. The sun caught her, golden hair and pale limbs, and she looked more perfect to Breandan than any creature he'd ever seen. He felt his heart clench and he knew he was grinning in some mindless way.

He heard the sink running, then after a bit, the toilet flushing. She was humming and then singing next door and he didn't want to miss any part of what she was doing. He opened the bathroom door to find her holding her hair with one hand, spitting into the sink, and sashaying her hips from side to side in time with some tuneless song that could have been the jig he'd played last night. She saw him in the mirror, "What is it about you and bathrooms?" she sassed. "You telling me something about yourself?"

Breandan advanced on Sookie and she never wavered. She opened her arms to him and he was captured again. He lifted her to the vanity counter and she pulled him to her, his shirt falling open and he was undone.

It didn't take much time and he apologized for being so fast, but Sookie caught his lip between her teeth to stop him from talking. "You could make it up to me in the shower," she whispered, giving him an arch look and his breath caught.

"What is it about you?" he asked. She'd pushed past him to start the water.

"What do you mean?" and he felt her mood shift to concern.

"You're so different," he told her, but instead of looking pleased, she bit her lip and her face fell.

"I hear that a lot," she told him, and the easy joy he'd felt from her dampened. "I guess I am different than most women. Not ladylike," and she turned to fuss with the water temperature. "You don't need to stay if you don't want to. Someone like you, you probably have things to do this morning. I can't offer hot breakfast. Mom will be up and I have to be careful about…" 

"You mistake me," Breandan was desperate to stop her. He could feel her moving further and further from him with each word. He wrapped his arms around her, "You are different, a revelation!" He closed his eyes, amazed once more at how wonderful just holding her made him feel. "I'm not sure I ever want to leave here," he told her. "I am charmed by you, Sookie Stackhouse. I never want this to end."

He could feel her happiness return and it was like the sun came out, and her voice was light when she answered, "I don't know about that, Breandan O'Hara, but how about we start with a shower and see where it goes from there?"

The tub was small and they took turns standing under the water. Sookie insisted Breandan stand under the water first, then switched positions, and ordered, "Arms up!" She rubbed her hands together until she had a good lather and soaped him in a very efficient way. When he started to react to her stroking, she jutted her lip, and said, "None of that! This is important business!"

"As My Lady commands," Breandan laughed. She was adorable, her face intent, her hands stroking the long planes of his body.

"Do you want children?" she asked him.

Breandan stilled. He had been basking and now, he wasn't. He realized that perhaps the look on her face hadn't been teasing. Perhaps she had been working up to this, but he was so drunk on his own happiness he hadn't detected her direction. "I did once," he told her. "But I was unable."

"We didn't use protection," she said quietly. She wasn't looking distressed, but she wasn't meeting his eyes either, and Breandan lowered his arms so he could lay his hands over hers. When she realized he wasn't going to let her hands go, she set her face into something pleasantly neutral and looked up at him.

"If you wish for children, I am a poor choice," he told her, tilting his head so he could more clearly see her.

Sookie really looked at him and Breandan felt it again, the purity of being with someone in the moment. "I'm sorry," Her sympathetic words poured over him like a healing balm. He recalled his bitterness at his failure to procreate with his wife, Mae, and, for a moment, he considered telling Sookie Stackhouse of his barren marriage, then just as quickly dismissed the idea as foolish.

Instead, Breandan thought of his Uncle Niall. He thought of Niall's Fae wife, Branna, who actively fought her husband. In some ways, Branna's hatred was more honest than the bored indifference Breandan received from his own wife. Breandan closed his eyes, allowing the joy he felt from the woman in his arms to wash over him again. When he'd heard about his Uncle Niall's attachment to his human, Breandan found his Uncle's actions inexplicable, but now? Lost in his thoughts, Breandan said, "I understand now," out loud.

"What do you understand?" Sookie asked but, before he could answer, they were interrupted by the sound of the bathroom door opening.

"Sookie?" her Mother called from the other side of the curtain. "It's just me. I'm sorry, I couldn't wait. I'll only be a minute."

Sookie's mouth dropped as she turned shocked eyes toward Breandan. When he opened his mouth, Sookie's eyes widened and she shook her head, warning him to remain silent. They both stood there, stock still, unable not to listen to the sounds, and then, Michele flushed the toilet.

"Oh, shit!" Michele exclaimed, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

The water suddenly became ice cold and Sookie squealed, jumping against Breandan so hard he let out an "Ooof!" as the air was knocked out of him.

"Breandan?" Michele asked. "Are you in there, too?"

"Go back to bed, Mom!" Sookie called out, and she blushed as Michele left, chuckling. "Sorry about that," Sookie sighed. "I didn't hurt anything, did I?"

"My pride," Breandan told her, "but I know how you can make it better," and he turned her away from the water so he could wash the soap from his own body and lather hers in return.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Michele was sitting at the kitchen table when they emerged. "Did you two get any sleep?" she asked and then pointed Breandan to the cup on the table, "I made you tea."

"Thank you," Breandan smiled before asking, "Are you feeling better?"

"I'm drinking tea, so that's something," Michele replied. Sookie was moving around the small kitchen. She sliced bread and put it in the toaster, then poured a bowl of cereal and set it along with a milk jug in front of Breandan.

"What's this?" he asked.

"Cinnamon Toast Crunch," Sookie answered. "I figured it would be your favorite."

"I've never had it," Breandan replied. There was something a little off-smelling about the food product, but then he caught the scent of sugar and cinnamon and popped a square into his mouth. It did taste of chemicals, but the sugar overwhelmed it. He poured on the milk and dug in. It was a well-known fact the Fae were attracted to sugar, and whatever this was hit the spot!

Sookie set dry toast in front of her mother and then another plate with toast buttered and spread with some kind of jam for herself. She had a cup of coffee in her hand and she sat down between her mother and Breandan, then shifted so her knees were touching his.

"What do you have to do today?" Michele asked Breandan and he opened his mouth to answer. It was so easy! They had accepted him! He was suddenly a member of their family, the man at their table, and it was wonderful.

"I didn't have any particular plans," he answered. "Perhaps there's something I could do to help around here? Run errands?" and he glanced at Sookie, "I was also thinking that if you're not too tired of having me about, we might take a walk this afternoon. The weather is still fine and there's a walking path not far from here."

"Check the calendar," Michele told her daughter. "I don't think I have any appointments today and I am feeling better. I'll be okay alone for an hour or two," and she winked at Breandan.

Breandan took Sookie to Cold Spring Park. It wasn't a large place, but there was a decent hiking trail that cut through woods and featured a small, open field. The trees were starting to lose their leaves, only the oaks holding on with their reds and russets. Sookie slipped her hand in his and Breandan closed his eyes, immersed in the double pleasure of her happiness and having nature all around him. When he didn't filter it out, Breandan could feel growing things as if they were extensions of himself. It was hardwired for creatures like him.

Back home, people had lived on the land for so long, even the wild places were tame, but it wasn't the same here. There was an abundance of growing things overrunning the land. In Ireland, the brush and trees were confined to the borders between fields or the areas around the old forts. Here, in this New World, the wildness was all around him and for Breandan, it was intoxicating. As they reached the former farm field, the weeds growing hip high, goldenrod swaying among sweet fern, Breandan closed his eyes, drinking in the smells and sweet drowsiness of the surrounding forest as it slowed for its winter dormancy. When he opened his eyes, he glanced at Sookie. She had the same blissful look on her face as him. Her mouth was slightly open and her eyes were closed. Her face was upturned and he could almost feel her life pouring through her. "I want to make love to you," he whispered. "I want to love you."

Her eyes flew open and her face broke into a grin. "You are the most winning man!" she exclaimed, but instead of replying to him, she pulled his hand, saying, "Come on, let's see what's further down the path!"

When they were back in the car, Sookie said, "I'm guessing you blew some stuff off for me today. Thank you."

Breandan thought about his current idle life. He had told Sookie his purpose in the United States was to explore opportunities for his family's business, but, since arriving, he'd done nothing to advance that. Instead, he'd spent his days drifting down city sidewalks and spending evenings playing music.

Breandan knew Sookie would not be impressed. The Sookie Stackhouse Breandan knew wasn't a shirker. She took pride in earning her own way. If something needed to be done, Sookie didn't sigh or find excuses, she simply stepped forward and did it. Breandan knew if he told her the truth, she would think twice about keeping him.

Being Fae, lying was difficult, if not impossible. That didn't mean Breandan couldn't use words to fool his audience. It was something the Fae took great pleasure in doing. Breandan also knew he couldn't tell Sookie his Father sent him to procure her. "I am at a slow time," he said instead. "I was in some talks, but they didn't go anywhere. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to stop by my apartment to pick up my paperwork and contacts so I can get started on the next round."

"You'll be coming back to my place?" Sookie asked and, for a moment, Breandan thought she was telling him she didn't want that, but then she looked at him with such glowing eyes he didn't doubt any more.

"We need to do something about your bed," he told her once it was settled.

Her reaction to his apartment was as he predicted. He gathered papers and his duffle bag, throwing extra clothes into it. "You live very well," she whispered as she wandered through his rooms.

"This isn't my place," Breandan reminded her. "Most nights I spend across the hall at Sean's. I suppose I feel more comfortable there." He gathered her to him, breathing in her breath. "Now, I have another place where I feel best."

"It's not anywhere as nice as this place," Sookie told him.

"But your apartment has everything I want," he assured her.

Sookie had to work that night. "You're sure you don't mind staying here with Mom?" she asked Breandan again.

"Stop worrying," Breandan lay on the bed, watching her dress through half-open eyes.

"I don't know why you're staring," Sookie huffed. "You've seen all this before!"

"But I like watching you," Breandan teased. It wasn't the quality of Sookie's body, which was pleasant and put together in all the right ways, rather the effect of the whole package.

Blushing, Sookie changed the subject away from her. "I feel I should apologize. Usually by this stage, Mom's feeling better and we're eating regular dinners. I'm sorry for the sandwiches and salad. I just can't cook in the apartment with her being so nauseous." Breandan could tell Sookie was more nervous than she was letting on. When she turned suddenly, banging her toe into the bed stand, Breandan leaped up from the bed.

Wrapping his arms around her, he forced her to still. He could feel her turmoil and how his touch made her calm. It was gratifying and Breandan closed his own eyes, almost purring out loud. "Now, now!" he soothed, "Your Mother loves me. She'll probably have me half convinced to throw you aside and take her instead."

"And you'd be lucky to get her," Sookie said gallantly her nervousness was gone.

"She must have been something," he agreed, then glancing at the clock, said, "But come, I'll run you down to work. Don't want you to be late."

Still, after Breandan returned to the apartment, he did feel odd. Michele was waiting for him. "Would you make us some tea?" she asked.

"If you walk me through it," Breandan shrugged. As a Fae, he was used to humans feeding him. It was a well-known tradition you traded food for favors, and this sudden reversal of how things should be left Breandan feeling odd.

Michele was saying, "Sookie told me you lost your Mother. I'm sorry."

It touched Breandan to know that Sookie had spoken of him in such a personal way. "Thank you," he told Michele. "I still miss her." He followed Michele's instructions, setting up cups and honey, then pulled out his fiddle while they waited on the kettle. With a small smile, he played a lullaby his Mother had favored.

"Lovely," Michele sighed. When Breandan told her it was one of his Mother's favorites, Michele said, "You haven't said much about your Father."

"No, I haven't," Breandan agreed. He poured hot water and set cups in place. "He's a hard man."

Michele didn't look at him as she said the thing that was really a question, "And he probably won't like the idea of his Son picking up with Little Miss Nobody from Massachusetts?"

"He won't be keen, no," Breandan agreed.

"It's just you seem so suited for each other," Michele pressed. "I'm sure he'd want you to be happy."

"Of course," Breandan echoed. What he didn't say was ' _if what I choose makes Rogan happy too_.'

As they sipped their tea, Breandan realized he didn't want to think about Rogan or Ireland or the life across the ocean. He was here and in this place, all that was expected of him was to be pleasant and to make love to a woman who made him feel wonderful. ' _I don't want to go back_ ,' Breandan thought and the strength of his conviction made him glance up to make sure he hadn't said it out loud.

They passed the evening playing cards and then Breandan helped Michele walk the distance to her bedroom. He organized lists of people he would call tomorrow. Breandan viewed the work with a new enthusiasm. In his imagination, he could see himself creating a new business here, one that would keep him in the United States and far away from Rogan and Ireland. When the time came, Breandan put on his coat and headed to the door. In his pocket, his phone chimed and he automatically lifted it.

 **RB: Congratulations. The vampire informs me you have been successful. I look forward to hearing when you expect to have her here.**

Breandan stared at the words. He knew what he was doing was creating a fantasy that couldn't last, but his heart wished it, and so he slipped the phone back in his pocket and walked into the night.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Their lives settled into a routine. Breandan spent days talking with people in the hospitality industry and learning about what worked in New England. He took quick trips to surrounding towns, visiting different types of hotels and B&Bs. Sometimes Sookie went with him and they spent hours afterward talking around the kitchen table about how to create the ambiance of Irish country hospitality here.

Every night, Breandan drove Sookie to her job, and after her shift ended, he picked her up again. In most ways, this was Breandan's favorite part of every day. Sookie showered and joined him in the slightly bigger bed they'd squeezed into her bedroom, a more than willing participant with her own inventive imagination that she wasn't shy about using.

Sam was not pleased when he realized the women upstairs had given Breandan a key.

When Michelle mentioned Sam's grousing, Breandan confronted him. "What's your problem?" he growled. "You know how they are upstairs. They need help! I know you can hear those thugs down the street. The day they decide to start testing front doors, you'll be happy I'm here!"

"If you're staying here, you should pay rent," Sam growled right back.

Breandan was Fae, which meant making deals. Within a short time, Breandan negotiated the compromise. He wouldn't hand Sam Merlotte money, but he would run Sam's errands. Breandan used some of his time during the day to do things Sam needed, like picking up groceries and pharmacy orders. In exchange, Sam stopped complaining. What Breandan hadn't counted on was the way Sookie's eyes shone when he told her he was helping Sam. "You are kind, aren't you?" she complimented, and then rewarded him in ways that left him panting and happy.

On nights Breandan played music with Sean's band, Sean picked him up and if she had that evening off, Sookie came to the bar to watch them. It didn't matter how many times she saw him play, each time Breandan took the stage Sookie was mesmerized. She didn't know it, but her rapt attention fed Breandan, transforming the music he made into magic, calling them and connecting them, each to the other. Sookie wasn't the only person affected by the music. There always seemed to be women, and even men, in the bar who were drawn to Breandan, but the fiddler only had eyes for Sookie.

It would have been idyllic, except for one thing. Michele's condition continued to deteriorate. The nausea from her third treatment had eased, but left her weak and, as the days passed, she didn't improve.

Breandan could see Sookie watching her Mother with anxious eyes. He started to lay hands on Michele, using his gifts to ease and strengthen her, but he could tell that some milestone had been passed. He was happier than he ever remembered, yet the voice in the back of his head whispered a reminder that when Michele Stackhouse breathed her last, his golden days would be over.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

It was the first week in November when Michele returned to the Cancer Center for the testing that was the start of Round Four.

Sookie hadn't gone with Michelle. Instead, Michele insisted that Breandan take her. After Sookie objected, Michele said rather waspishly, "I don't know what you're getting all worked up about. It's just the usual battery of tests before I do more chemo. Besides, it will do my ego good to walk in on the arm of a hot hunk!"

But once they returned, it was with the news that Round Four would not be moving forward. "It's no big thing," Michelle assured Sookie. "I just didn't bounce back the way the doctors wanted. The good news is I'll be able to eat turkey for Thanksgiving, and there's nothing wrong with that!"

"Well, I still don't understand," Sookie turned from the sink. "Didn't they give you a new date? They aren't ending your treatment, are they?"

"They didn't say they were," Michelle shrugged. "Just that I should go back after the holidays."

"You were there," and Sookie pinned Breandan with her angry stare. "Just tell me what they said!"

"I can't tell you any more than I have already," Breandan snapped. He knew he sounded defensive, but this was the first time he had ever seen Sookie angry and, what's more, she was angry with him. "Michele didn't invite me in the office and I wasn't able to force the issue."

Sookie rounded on her Mother, "Since when do you go to these things and not have someone there to listen for you? You know how this goes! They throw out all those words and you don't remember half of them. No regular person could!" When she turned back to Breandan, Sookie's face was flushed and her voice was tight, "We talked about this! You knew you needed to write things down!"

"I'm allowed to make decisions about my own life!" Michele snapped. "I am the Mother, not you! If I didn't want Breandan watching me get poked and prodded, that's my right!"

"I knew this was going to happen!" Sookie snapped. Her eyes narrowed and if she'd been a cat, her ears would have laid back flat against her head. Breandan stood, obeying his instinctive call to flee from the scene but, before he could go, Sookie stepped forward, blocking his escape. "You know how important these treatments are to her getting better! How could you just sit there and not ask more questions?"

"It was your Mother's decision!" Breandan snarled. His instincts now reminded him that he was Fae and Sookie was not, and his tone conveyed his disdain perfectly. "I am not your errand boy! Michele asked me for this favor and I provided it. If you wanted your own favor, you should have made that clear!" It was the Fae in him, and it didn't occur to him that Sookie couldn't understand what he was telling her.

"I trusted you to do one thing and you screwed it up!" Sookie shouted. "How do you expect me to trust you about anything?" It wasn't a fair accusation and if she hadn't been so stressed, Sookie wouldn't have said it.

"I won't have you fighting over me!" Michelle smacked her hand on the table. "I'm feeling terrible and I need more tension like I need a hole in the head. Sookie, they told me to call back after the holidays, and that's what I'm going to do! In the meantime, I have a reprieve, which means I can enjoy my holiday dinner instead of throwing it up and, by God, I'm going to!" and Michelle burst into tears.

"Oh!" Sookie exclaimed and she went to her Mother. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mom. Of course, I'm happy you'll be able to enjoy Thanksgiving. I just don't want you to lose your progress. I just…" and Sookie stopped. What she wanted to say was, ' _I want you to be cured and this to be over_ ,' but she felt her hope draining from her.

Sookie looked up at Breandan for sympathy, but she could see things between them were far from resolved. His lip curled and his arms were crossed and his words were clipped. "I can see that you would like some time together and since my efforts aren't appreciated…"

"I'm sorry…" but Sookie didn't get any further.

"I'm sure you can find your own way to work," Breandan interrupted. "I'll take the T," and he grabbed his coat from the back of the chair.

"Where are you going?" Sookie asked. Rising from her knees, she scooted down the hall after him.

Breandan walked into the sitting area and retrieved his fiddle. He laid it carefully in its case, "Out," he shrugged.

"Should I expect you later?" Sookie asked.

"Why do you care?" Breandan snapped. "Clearly I'm not to be trusted. You need time away from me? Well," and he brought his face close to her, close enough it made Sookie step back, "I do, too!"

Sookie stared at the closed door after Breandan left, her thoughts and feelings a snarl. She wondered if she should run after him, but there was some small part of her shouting to let him go. The past weeks were wonderful, he was wonderful, but Sookie couldn't escape the feeling that there was something dark on the other side of all the sweet that was Breandan O'Hara and she wondered if she'd just caught a glimpse of it.

'Sookie?" Her Mother called her from the kitchen.

"Coming," Sookie answered and, slowly, she walked back.

Michele was still seated at the table looking guilty. "I'm so sorry you quarreled," she patted Sookie's hand when her daughter sat down opposite her. "This," and she waved at herself, "is so stressful. I'm surprised we're not all at each other's throats."

"Do you think Breandan is really the right one for me?" Sookie asked. It wasn't an obvious question. For Sookie, these weeks with Breandan felt like a rollercoaster ride, full of thrills and highs, but her practical nature couldn't overlook the obvious. They had fallen into this thing so quickly and while there were ways Sookie felt she knew everything about him, there were more ways she felt she didn't know Breandan O'Hara at all.

"Of course, I do," her Mother assured her. "He challenges you. I can see that, but you are a thinking girl. If Breandan were one of those fairytale Princes, fawning over you all the time, you'd be bored with him in a flat second!"

Sookie laughed. "I guess. It's just that somehow, I figured that when I found my someone special, it'd be someone I knew for awhile. I thought he'd be like me, if that makes sense. He'd know the value of a dollar and he'd be…well, less showy. I love being with Breandan. When we're together I just feel wonderful, but I can't stop thinking that none of it's real. I keep thinking he'll wake up and realize I'm not some fancy, sophisticated person and he's made a big mistake."

"Well," and Michelle leaned forward so she could look her daughter in the eye, "I think that sometimes because you are so smart, you overthink things. I would hate to see you throw away someone as wonderful as Breandan because you keep trying to analyze what's between you. Now, you can tell me I'm wrong, after all, I'm just your Mother, but I see how perfect you are for each other. Sure, you're different, but I think you fill in each other's holes."

Sookie couldn't help her quick snort, earning her a withering look from Michele who scolded, "You know what I mean!" After a minute, Michele asked, "Is the real reason you're holding back because he's planning to return to Ireland?"

"Of course," Sookie shrugged. Until she acknowledged it, she hadn't understood how much it bothered her. "What if I lose my heart to him and he leaves?" she asked Michele. "It's not like I've had that much experience in this boyfriend thing. For the first time, I think I'm in real trouble, Mom, and if he leaves me, I'm not sure how I'll survive."

Michele and Sookie had talked about the possibility of Michele's dying, but not since she started chemo. Now, she turned to Sookie and laying hands over her daughter's, said, "I know you're thinking about staying here because of me, but there's a hard reality we should face. I don't mean to hurt you, Sweetheart, but I probably won't be around much longer." Sookie moaned, but Michelle just patted her hand. "Of course, I'll continue treatments, but I can feel it in my bones. For what it's worth, I was worried about you. I didn't know what would become of you. I wondered if it would better for you to go live with your Aunt Linda. I couldn't see you staying here in Boston on your own. It's not that you aren't an adult, but you would need to find a new place to stay, and we both know how expensive apartments in Boston can be."

Sookie was crying, slow tears that tracked down her cheeks. She pulled a hand away from her Mother to swipe at her face, and when she did, Michele told her, "From the minute I saw you and Breandan together, I had a good feeling, and it just gets stronger and stronger. Maybe you think I'm being foolish, but I believe you two were meant to be together, and the thought that you'll be with him, living your dream in Ireland, settled and happy makes me sleep easier."

"You really think that?" Sookie asked again and when Michelle nodded, Sookie covered her vulnerability with a shrug, "I guess, but it's not like he's even hinted at taking me with him and besides, I think he's pretty mad at me," Sookie sighed.

"Well, maybe you can do something special for him when he gets home," her Mother said, and then winked in a way that made Sookie blush. When Sookie tried to pretend she didn't know what her Mother meant, Michele's eyes narrowed, "Just because I'm sick doesn't mean I don't hear things, and it sounds to me like he makes you pretty happy. A woman can forgive a lot for a man who knows his way around the bedroom and a man won't walk away from a woman who makes him happy, too."

Sookie laughed again, then glanced at the stove. She rose and plated dinner for the two of them. She wondered where Breandan would eat and she felt bad all over again. "Well, never mind," Michelle patted Sookie's hand, guessing where her thoughts had wandered, "I know! Let's figure out what we're making for Thanksgiving!" and Michelle filled the next hour with menus and wrangling a promise that they would invite Sam Merlotte to join them.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Breandan sat in his old apartment in the dark. As Fae, he didn't need to turn on the lights, so the ambiance matched his mood.

There was a tightness in his chest, an anger that Sookie Stackhouse or any creature would bark at him as she did. All his long life, lesser creatures had deferred to him and he accepted it as his due. Even when people in his hotels were angry, they never truly raised their voices. Some instinct, perhaps survival, kept their behavior within bounds, but Sookie? She had backed him against a wall. She had railed against him, even raising her finger and using it to point at him in a threatening way.

Something was wrong within Breandan's universe. Things weren't as they should be and Sookie Stackhouse was at the center.

His phone chimed again. It was Rogan, a text in a long list of unanswered texts. ' _Of course_ ,' Breandan thought, ' _Why shouldn't all the problems pile on now?_ '

The message on the phone read, **R: With your lack of response, I am sending an agent. Watch for him.**

Sighing, Breandan hit the buttons to connect him with his Father.

"I was about to send someone to retrieve you," Rogan growled the minute the line connected. "You have been ignoring me."

"I'm happy to hear your voice, too, Father," Breandan answered.

There was a pause and Breandan knew his Father was analyzing his Son's tone before deciding how to respond. Breandan wasn't surprised when Rogan steered the conversation in another direction. "I hear from my associates you are taking meetings with real estate and property companies. I had the impression you weren't interested in pursuing properties in the United States beyond it providing you a cover story. What's changed?"

"I am living with the girl and her human Mother. I am keeping them under my hand, which requires I appear to have some real purpose in being here. I will grant you, this kind of familiarity in view of their mixed blood, is not what you would consider savory, but that's why you sent me, isn't it? You wanted me to handle your dirty job? I'm handling it, so why are you hectoring me?"

"I was wondering if there was another reason you were becoming so interested in business," Rogan countered. "Perhaps a reason that is not our original plan?"

There was something in Rogan's tone and Breandan sat up straighter. He was angry with Sookie, but he suddenly remembered the sweetness she brought to his life. It would be so easy to end that, but Breandan didn't want to give it up, not yet. "This has stretched longer than either of us anticipated, so I'm using my spare time to explore possibilities here. Surely, you have no objection to my considering ways to grow our fortunes? It gives me a break from my 'duties' and it could make this expense worthwhile."

"Do you think there are real possibilities in the U.S. market?" Rogan asked.

"I do," Breandan told him. "Fewer people here are buying vacation homes. They're interested in the combination of hospitality and entertainment we offer. True roadside, public houses are rare here. If we successfully import our formula, we could provide the informal, family atmosphere that attracts travelers to hotel alternatives while making the accommodations accessible."

Breandan spent the next half hour talking through a couple financial projections and his Father sounded legitimately interested. When he concluded his impromptu presentation, Rogan told him, "I must say, I'm impressed. You've put thought into this. Perhaps I haven't given you enough credit. You've done a good job with the properties you oversee here, but I can see you have a talent for development. Once you deliver Sookie here and she's established, we should consider sending you back to the United States to start a pilot."

"Well, since I'm going to be here for the next few months, why wait?" Breandan asked. "The contacts are here and I've scouted out a couple properties in Vermont and Maine that would fit the bill…"

"And, you see this as a reasonable reason to delay returning to Ireland?" Rogan asked.

"I'm not sure if 'delay' is the proper term. I'm here as it is. I can do this while we wait for…well, while I wait," but Breandan knew his Father hadn't been fooled. Breandan's heart clenched in his chest. He had half-hoped the temptation of new wealth would be enough to distract his Father into not pushing so hard.

"Explain to me again why you delay?" Rogan zeroed in. "Your sexual skills are no secret. I have no doubt you are covering your new mare well," and Rogan laughed a little. "She should be eating out of your hand and anywhere else you wish her to graze by now. Why haven't you given me a date for when you will be returning?"

"Sookie's not an animal," The words slipped out and Breandan immediately regretted them. "I apologize," he said quickly. "It's just that my daily interactions with the hybrid require I keep close to the role I'm playing. You know we can't lie. If I keep close to a truth, the story is easier to maintain."

"I am not comfortable with you using their names," Rogan scolded, "Don't do it again!" then continued by asking, "What story are you telling her, Son?" Breandan wasn't fooled by his Father's friendly tone. This wasn't an idle question.

"That I am interested in her, Father," Breandan said carefully, "That there is a possibility of a long-term romantic attachment between us…" 

"Which there isn't," Rogan interrupted. "Surely you aren't over-selling this. You are the heir of a hotel chain. The promise of a favorable position and the money it brings should be enough."

"I don't think so," Breandan disagreed. "The hybrid is not interested in wealth. She is different than other humans. I took her to my apartment. Instead of it sparking her interest, it spurred her distrust. She is almost the opposite of what we've come to expect. The more I offer to pay for things or improve their situation, the harder she pushes me away." Breandan wanted to add that it was this characteristic that fascinated him, but he held back.

"Perhaps she lacks imagination," Rogan suggested. "It sounds as if bringing her here for a short trip to tour your holdings might be in order. Seeing the possibilities should awaken her human greed." Rogan didn't make it sound like a suggestion. "Maybe," he added, "Maybe the issue is that she doesn't trust you."

His Father's words made Breandan's breath catch. For a wild moment, he wondered if his Father knew of Sookie's accusations earlier this evening, but he steadied himself as his Father continued, "Perhaps she is one of those human women who has grown too cynical and thinks every man just tells tales. A quick vacation here would solve that."

"I believe the hybrid will be open to coming to Ireland, just not yet. I'm sure the vampire told you the Mother is sick," and Breandan waited.

"Some form of wasting sickness," Rogan sounded bored. "You told me that yourself the last time you bothered to call."

"Yes, Father, and it's progressing. In truth, I don't think she has much longer. This woman, the Mother, is dying. The human doctors have been pumping her full of poisons to stop the progress of her disease, but I can smell the rot in her. A month, maybe two, and she dies. Once she's gone, the girl has nowhere else to go, but it's not realistic to think that she would leave her Mother at a time like this, even for a few days."

"A month or two?" Rogan repeated.

"Maybe three, not much longer, and I will be with them. The hybrid will be comfortable with me, and I can offer her a new start, a good job in a romantic place like Ireland. There's no reason to think she wouldn't come. You would have the consent you need to keep her within your thrall, since glamour doesn't work on her." Breandan sat back. It was a good argument, and he congratulated himself for reminding his Father that the hybrid was immune to their usual way of controlling humans.

After Rogan didn't protest, Breandan pushed his advantage, "The prospects I can offer are infinitely better than the waitress work she has now and there's something else. The Mother is helping me. She wants the daughter to cast her lot with me." Breandan could feel something twist inside him and it felt like betrayal, but his sense of being trapped overcame his desire to shield Sookie and her Mother.

"What exactly does this Mother think you're offering?" Rogan asked.

"I'm sure she believes it will be marriage," Breandan didn't bother trying to gloss it.

"But you haven't promised that to the girl?" his Father pressed.

"No, of course not," Breandan sighed. He was glad his Father couldn't see him in that moment. He didn't think he could hide his misery.

"Good," Rogan sounded happier. "Broken promises make women angry. Feeling foolish for wrong assumptions inspires them to accept opportunities when they're offered. Tease her, fuck her, and keep her dancing to your tune. When she gets here, we'll give her a good position and surround her with new friends. That will allow you to extricate yourself without her being the wiser." Rogan must have felt the conversation was at an end because he said, "I expect more regular reports from you," and he ended the call without so much as a goodbye!

'It will be as you say, Father," Breandan replied to the dead connection. The room grew darker, though Breandan didn't move to turn on the lights. It seemed appropriate. ' _I belong in the dark,_ ' he thought, ' _because it's what I bring_.'

It was almost too late when he roused himself. He called an Uber and soon he was standing in the doorway of her bedroom. He could see that Sookie had been crying. It was the moisture on her pillow and the tracks on her cheeks. Her eyes were open and she was watching him. Breandan could faintly feel her hope and it made him feel miserable all over again.

"I'm sorry," she said, when he said nothing. "I was wrong. I don't want to lose you."

There it was again, the hope she gave him, and Breandan replied, "I don't want to lose you, either," because it was the truth.

Her face lifted and her smile warmed him. "Take off your clothes," she whispered, sitting up so he could see she was naked under the blankets. Her nipples tightened in the chill air, calling to him and he stripped quickly. The minute his arms found their way around her, Breandan felt the turmoil he'd felt following his talk with his Father calm. He didn't know how she did this to him, but he didn't wish to fight it. He suspected he loved her as alien as that was to his nature, but what he did accept was that every minute he spent with Sookie Stackhouse was better than any other minute he'd ever spent without her.

"I was beginning to worry," she murmured, her face turned against his. He wanted to say something to reassure her, but he found he was the one who needed that reassurance. He tightened his grip around her and thought about running away with her, disappearing into the vastness of this country and forgetting who and what he was.

"Are you okay?" she asked him, and she pushed back so she could look in his eyes. Her small hand laid against his cheek and he turned his head to kiss her palm.

"I'm fine," he told her. "I'm just enjoying how this feels, how you make me feel," and he leaned down and kissed her. He reached out to find that small part of her he knew she held back from him. He wasn't sure what motivated her reluctance, but It made him feel better knowing that Sookie was smart enough to protect herself from him, but, this time, he couldn't find it.

As she brought him to her entrance and pushed forward, Sookie Stackhouse opened more than her body to him. In that moment, she fully opened her heart and Breandan found himself overwhelmed by a gift that brought him equal measures of happiness and regret.


	11. Chapter 10 - Windows Open

**Chapter 10 – Windows Open**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Breandan struggled to hide his irritation. He was sitting at the small kitchen table across from Michele. Sookie had run to the grocery store to pick up the turkey and Breandan volunteered to remain behind to keep Michele company. Usually that involved telling stories and playing music, which was pleasurable and perfectly acceptable. Instead, Breandan found himself peeling apples, which was neither.

"I'm sure you know how it's done," Michele chided when Breandan hesitated to take up the knife. "It's just that my hands are shaking so badly. I don't want to cut myself!"

Breandan gave in but, with each passing minute, his unhappiness grew. It wasn't the work, it was the wrong-ness of the situation. Fae didn't cook for humans. Humans cooked for Fae. They traded their food for favors, it was the way of things, and what Michele was asking broke all the rules! Everyone knew when a Fae offered you food, it tied you to them. There were hundreds of stories of humans eating the food of the Fae and becoming so ensorcelled, they never found their way home again.

' _She doesn't know who you are_ ,' Breandan reminded himself.

For weeks, Michele teased Breandan about cooking, but no one seriously pushed the matter. Sookie cooked and Breandan repaid the favor by cleaning the kitchen afterward. Michele remarked, ' _It's like magic_ ,' when the women returned to the kitchen. It made Breandan laugh because, of course, she was right.

When he finished the apple he was peeling, Michele had him hand it to her. She set it on the cutting board in front of her to slice up. "You're doing the rest?" Breandan asked. He couldn't keep the hopeful note from his voice and Michele chuckled.

"You really are hopeless around the kitchen," she shook her head. "Is that an Irish thing?"

"More of a family thing," Breandan grumbled.

"I'm not sure how Sookie will feel about that," Michele said, not meeting his eyes. "She's pretty American that way. She expects men to pull their weight around the house, not that I asked that of her Father. He was more like you, a cleaner, not a cook."

Breandan avoided asking more about Corbett Stackhouse. He knew from experience that given the opportunity, Michele would talk about her husband for hours. Rather, he steered the conversation forward. "Sookie is a hard worker. She has her part and I have mine." With a grimace, Breandan picked up the next apple and started running his knife around it, the fruit peel coming off in one, long, even strip. "We understand each other," he concluded.

"That's good because she loves you," Michele told him. She said the words lightly, but her stare was direct.

"She told you that?" Breandan asked. He marveled at the way the words felt, at once so dreadful and yet so welcome all at the same time.

"Not in so many words," Michele smirked. "But a Mother knows these things. When you're not around, she acts like she's missing a part of herself."

"You make her sound enthralled." That was a Fae concept and a perfectly acceptable state for a human in his sphere.

"Hardly!" Michele snorted. "You know Sookie! She's too strong-minded for that! Nope, it's love, pure and simple."

Breandan could tell Sookie had dropped her reservations toward him, but she hadn't said the words. Breandan believed Sookie's attachment was strong, but a part of him wanted to believe it was more. It was uncomfortable, this idea that someone not of his kind loved him. It wasn't natural, but he also found the idea not as unwelcome as it should have been.

"When I look at her, I see myself twenty years ago. You remind me a lot of Sookie's Father," Michele repeated and held her hand out for the peeled apple Breandan had forgotten he was holding.

When he gave her the fruit, Breandan made a point of touching Michele's hand. It was easy, giving her just a little of his spark, pushing her darkness back. The shroud of death was growing in her, but Breandan didn't want his time here to end.

"It just makes me happy to be around you," Michele was saying, "and I know you will take care of my daughter." Michele's words caught Breandan's attention.

"I am fond of Sookie," he side-stepped.

"And you will take her with you when you return to Ireland, won't you?" Breandan could see Michele had come to the point of her remarks.

"We haven't talked about it," Breandan replied, "but I have considered taking her there." He didn't say it was his Father's plan or that he daydreamed about never returning to Ireland, running from his Father and keeping Sookie for his own.

"I'm going to be blunt," Michele pressed, "I'm dying." When Breandan looked away, Michele persisted, "I am. I can tell and I think you can, too. You know my sister, Linda, is coming for the holiday. She'll be here tomorrow and I know this topic will come up. Linda thinks Sookie should move back to Minnesota to live with her, you know…after."

"Have you talked with Sookie about this?" Breandan asked, then picked up another apple at Michele's urging.

"Of course not," Michele shook her head. "She'd just get herself all worked up and try to argue me back into treatment."

"You're not going back?" Breandan asked.

Michele smiled as she said, "No, you see, there's no point. I got a call and they followed it up with a letter. The cancer is back. The chemo didn't make a dent. They offered me radiation, but I'd rather spend the time I have left enjoying things."

"Why are you telling me this?" and Breandan set his knife down.

"Because," Sookie's Mother told him, "I want to know my daughter is settled before I go. I want to know she'll be happy and I think you're her 'one,' so, I'm asking. Will you take care of her?"

The words were all wrong. Michele was asking a favor, but she wasn't making offerings. Instead, she was having him work and still, she was asking for a boon.

It went against everything he believed, but Breandan thought of Sookie. He thought of her smile and how being with her almost let him forget he was Fae and she was not. "I wish to keep her with me," he answered, knowing he felt much more.

"Are you going to ask her to marry you?" Michele pressed.

"Any man would be lucky to have her as his wife," Breandan replied, and then he sat back. He had said the right words, but in his heart, he saw that man as him.

Michele caught his non-answer and sighed. "I've said too much. I hope you'll forgive me. Facing your own mortality is a scary business. I pushed you and I shouldn't have." Breandan was too confused to say more, so he focused on preparing another apple. As he neared the end of another long, perfect peel, Michele said, "I think she would be happier in Minnesota. Linda and her family are good people. They can give Sookie something to be part of. Goodness knows, with the way Corbett and I dragged those children all over the country, it's no wonder Sookie doesn't hate me the way her brother does."

Then Breandan felt something he didn't remember. His chest clenched and his throat got tight. He had been sure what he felt for Sookie wasn't love. Fae didn't love anyone but Fae, but he was at a loss to explain the possessiveness he felt. "She's mine!" he exclaimed.

Michele didn't bother to hide her triumph, "Well, if you feel that way, you better do something about it," and held out her hand for the apple. "You might consider making it official at Thanksgiving. Nothing like good food, a little wine, and family to get a girl in an agreeable mood."

Breandan was stunned. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. The hall door opened and he heard the noisy sound of bags being dropped and he rose swiftly, making his way to her. Sookie's face was flushed with cold and exertion and she looked so lovely, he couldn't help pulling her to him. They kissed until Michele called from the kitchen, "Come on, you two! I'm sure there's groceries to be put away and this pie isn't making itself!"

"Do you love me?" Breandan asked. Sookie's eyes widened and her mouth, plump with his kisses became an 'o.' She took a breath and, in that moment, Breandan was sure his own heart had stopped, but then her eyes lifted and her hand rose to cradle his cheek.

"You've found me out," she grinned. "Yes, Breandan O'Hara, I do love you.

Breandan took her hand to lay against his own chest, "I want to stretch you out, Sookie Stackhouse, and bury myself balls deep in you. I want to feel you surrounding me and breathe in every bit of you," Breandan growled against her throat. He ran his teeth up the column of her neck in a way he knew made her shiver.

He could smell her scent, that mixture of fresh air and arousal and he felt himself growing hard. This was Fae, too, the need to mate, but she pushed against him. "Hold that thought," Sookie whispered, kissing his ear. She reached behind him and tugged his braid, drawing his head back. "Mom can't do this all by herself and I can't leave this food sitting in the hallway."

"I could be quick," Breandan teased.

"Well, I can't," Sookie teased back, "and when I get you naked, Mister, I intend to take my time!"

As it turned out, Breandan didn't get naked before dinner, then after dinner he had to leave to play fiddle with Sean's band.

"Why don't you go with him?" Michele urged Sookie. When Sookie looked as if she'd protest, Michele reminded her, "Don't worry about Linda! She's family! She's not going to mind if the house isn't perfect when she gets here!"

"We will have to pack you tomorrow morning anyway," Breandan reminded Sookie. "We can put the room to rights then." Linda was going to stay in Sookie's room while Sookie and Breandan were moving to Breandan's all but abandoned apartment. ' _Pajama party_ ,' Sookie called it, but for Breandan it was more. Even before he realized what he wished, he'd anticipated spending nights coupling with this woman in a truly large bed surrounded by sound-proof walls. Now, knowing he intended to keep her, he yearned for privacy.

The band was playing at the same bar in Cambridge where Sookie and Breandan had first met. "Should I show you what I had in mind for that bathroom?" Breandan teased as they walked by the door.

"No!" Sookie exclaimed, "Gross!"

"You don't say that when we fuck in the shower," Breandan pointed out.

"Yeah, but it's a bathroom where I know everyone who uses it. Public restroom? Who the hell knows what's living in there! Pass!" and she playfully pushed against Breandan's chest.

Amelia was at the band table tonight and the two friends fell easily into conversation. They saw each other most nights at the Diner, but Sookie realized between the demands of her Mother's illness and her time with Breandan, it had been awhile since she and Amelia had any kind of relaxed conversation, even longer since they'd seen each other socially.

"So…" Amelia smiled, sitting back and sipping her drink, "I guess this is as good a time as any to let you know Sean and I are moving in with each other!"

"Wow!" Sookie reached across to hug her friend. "That's so great!"

"I guess with graduation right around the corner, Sean's in a settling mood," and Amelia didn't bother hiding her smug satisfaction. "Most days I feel like we've always known each other. Did you know we grew up just a couple towns away?"

"I remember," and Sookie did. It had been during her first date with Breandan that Sean and Amelia discovered that coincidence. As a result, she and Breandan barely got a word in edgewise as Sean and Amelia explored their shared geography. "You sound pretty happy about it." It was a silly thing to say. The band started and they turned their attention toward the stage. Amelia blew Sean a kiss and he beamed back at her.

"You know he already has a job lined up?" Amelia gushed. "With his MBA and his connections, they are lining up for him," which was news to Sookie, "and he's agreed to start in investments." Amelia named a large bank with offices downtown, and then she named Sean's starting salary. "I figure we'll start looking at houses right outside of town so he won't have to sit in traffic."

"I thought you said you were just moving in together," Sookie asked. The story Amelia was spinning seemed to be on fast forward. "Next you'll be saying you're marrying him."

"It's Thanksgiving!" Amelia exclaimed. "We're heading home to meet his folks, and then he's meeting mine. We're going to our high school football games together. I figure by Christmas we'll be engaged." Amelia ate the cherry from her drink before turning a high-beam smile toward the band. When Sean nodded and winked in their direction, Amelia turned in her chair and said, "Well? What about you? I mean, you're already cohabitating and with your Mother, no less! So, what's the deal? Is Breandan going to put a ring on it?"

"We haven't really talked about it," Sookie replied. Now it was her turn to face the band. Breandan was staring at her as he played and she felt his eyes like hands on her body. She loved how he could do this to her, but she thought of earlier when she'd told him she loved him, he hadn't said it back, rather, he'd just wanted sex. ' _That's what comes of rushing_ ,' she thought, her practical nature poking at the hurt she felt.

"But you want to, right?" Amelia was asking. "I mean, Jesus, look at him. He's gorgeous, his family's loaded, and he's got a job waiting for him. You could be set for life and living in Ireland. Ireland! I mean, that would be great! Sean and I could come vacation there. You could come back here and visit us. We'd be like those sophisticated, cosmopolitan couples. Too bad he isn't French or German," and Amelia's eyes narrowed a little, staring at Breandan. "Then we could have our kids learn two languages. How cool would that be?"

"I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself," Sookie tried to laugh it off, but she added, "I'm really glad things are working out for you, Amelia," Sookie pulled her lips into a smile. "The two of you look so natural together."

"So do you and Breandan," Amelia insisted. When Sookie didn't meet her eyes, Amelia huffed, "What aren't you telling me, girlfriend? Is he crap in bed?"

Sookie blushed as she exclaimed, "No!" She looked around her. They weren't sitting alone. There were other band family members and friends at the table and they'd heard the conversation based on their frank looks. "I'm just not someone who moves quick. I have things going on and choosing who I'm going to marry is a really big deal for me."

"For me, too!" and Amelia started to look huffy.

Sookie scrambled for the right words to mollify her friend, "I know, Amelia! You're really lucky. I'm sure I'll get there with Breandan, I mean, he is pretty well perfect for me, but… I don't know." Sookie looked back at the stage. She allowed her eyes to lose focus so she could see his otherness. She thought about the way Breandan rarely spoke of his family and avoided speaking of Ireland. While she knew a lot about him, she felt there was more she didn't. The longer she stared, the more her instincts counseled her to go slowly and Sookie remembered the words her Father told her. ' _You will know what's right for you, Peanut,_ ' he'd said, pressing his finger over her heart. ' _Listen to this. It will never steer you wrong_.'

Still, when the set was over, it felt right to step into Breandan's arms and turn her face up to his. Sookie didn't think what was between them was purely physical, but she couldn't deny she always felt better when she was in physical contact with the fiddler.

Once they were in the car, Breandan asked, "Is everything all right?"

"Fine," Sookie shrugged.

"Nothing's changed?" Breandan persisted. "You aren't angry with me?"

"It's not you," Sookie deflected. "Amelia told me she and Sean are getting engaged this Christmas."

Sookie didn't mean it as a hint, but Breandan seemed to read something into it. He took her hand and kissed her palm. His eyes were warm and his voice warmer as he said, "I can see it would be the kind of news that might make you wish it for your own life," he observed.

"I guess," Sookie felt flustered and, the more unsettled she felt, the more intent Breandan looked. "Come on," she said, pulling back from him. Aunt Linda will be here tomorrow and there's lots to do. And then there's that naked thing we talked about."

"I was hoping you hadn't forgotten that naked thing," and Breandan laughed.

Later, as Sookie slept in his arms, Breandan made his plans. He would change his name and they would move far from the ocean. It had taken years to find Sookie among these humans. It was possible the Fae wouldn't find them until Sookie's days were over. He thought of her aging, and his heart wrenched again.

"I love you," he said out loud, and then he waited, testing the feel of the words on his tongue. "I love you," he repeated and, emboldened by this new feeling, he added, "and I will marry you so you are mine alone."

As he played with her hair, the face of Mae, his Fae wife, appeared before him. He thought of what Claude would say about this. "I don't care," he whispered to Sookie. "I will defy them all for you," but he didn't believe the words. Breandan knew many things about himself, including knowing his pride wouldn't long stand being an object of ridicule.

She snuggled against him, and he felt the dampness between her legs. "They can't sneer if you trapped me in a wish," he thought. He gathered the still sleeping woman to him and leaning into her ear, he whispered, "Wish for me, Sookie! Wish for me to be yours forever. I will be your Selkie and you will hold my skin. Even my Father couldn't dispute that."

Breandan knew his Sookie couldn't be glamoured, but he hoped she would remember enough to say the words when the time came.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Aunt Linda wrapped Sookie up in her arms just as she had the first time she visited. When she pulled back, her head swiveled around, "Well, where is he? Did you bring him?"

"Who?" Sookie asked, reaching for Linda's suitcase. "Breandan?"

"Who else?" Linda shrugged. "When your Mother calls, he's all she talks about. Breandan O'Hara this and Breandan O'Hara that."

"He is pretty special," Sookie blushed. "But no, I left him home with Mom. She's so excited to see you. When I left, they were playing cards so she'd stop pacing. She's been driving me crazy!"

As they pulled into traffic, Linda asked, "How is she, really?"

"I'm not supposed to know," Sookie clenched her jaw. "But it's not good. They canceled chemo this month and the doctor's office isn't calling. Usually by now, they call. There's no new prescriptions." When Linda looked like she'd say something, Sookie cut her off, "I wasn't born yesterday. I don't think there's going to be any more treatments, but I don't think Mom wants to talk about it until after Thanksgiving. Just don't bring it up unless she does."

"And you've been walking around with these worries and holding them all to yourself?" and Linda reached over and squeezed Sookie's forearm.

"Having Breandan around does help," Sookie's smile stole across her face.

"Sex usually does," Linda snarked and then, ignoring Sookie's bright flush, said, "I'm sorry! I'm sure he's more than that. I do know that a kind man who makes you laugh can help get you through some pretty rough times. My Lars is like that. He doesn't say much, but when he does, I remember all the reasons I love him." They drove for a minute in silence before Linda asked, "And what about Breandan? Do you love him?"

Sookie nodded, "I do," she told her Aunt, and then couldn't help feeling alone. Last night there'd been a moment Sookie thought Breandan would say it, and then, when she woke up this morning, she was sure he had, but he hadn't, and she felt foolish.

Linda was watching her with sharp eyes. "It could be it's nothing more than a strong infatuation between you two," she said. "Think about it. You're in the middle of a crisis when you met him. These high stress times naturally make emotions run high. You would naturally feel stranded and here's this big, strong guy who's willing to save you and he's nice to your Mom?"

"No!" Sookie protested, "It's not… I do love him, Aunt Linda, I do, it's just…" and Sookie didn't know what else to say.

Linda looked out the window when she said, "You know I never liked your Father." Sookie shot her Aunt the side-eye. She did know. "Nope, I didn't like him and I hated the way Michele was with him. From the very first, she gave up anyone and anything to please him. She stopped being her own person and she threw away her family to be with him."

"My Dad was really special," Sookie said quietly, standing up for the parent she'd loved so much. "He and I, well, he never said, but we had a special bond." Sookie thought of him teaching her to pull the air and the light to make whirlwinds in her hand and how he made her laugh. She couldn't explain this to her Aunt nor to anyone else.

"You are special," Linda assured her. "Your laugh is just like his, but when it comes to favorites? Your Mom was obsessed, enough so that I think I'd still be careful about saying too much about your Dad around her."

It was an odd thing to say, but Sookie nodded, "We really don't talk about him. Mom brings him up sometimes, how much she misses him, but you're right. If I say I miss him, too, she gets competitive, so I just let it go."

"Wise, on your part, but I can see that you are one old soul in that young body." When Sookie snorted, her Aunt laughed, "That's a good thing, Sweetie! It means you see trouble before it comes." Linda let some time pass before she said, "I don't suppose you'd consider making your home in Minnesota? We'd sure like to have you out there with us. It's not a big house, but with my oldest off to college, you'd have your own room until you get yourself set up."

"I don't know, Aunt Linda," Sookie sighed. "I feel like if I make those kinds of plans, it's the same as saying I'm giving up on Mom and I just can't."

"I understand," Linda nodded. "I don't need any kind of answer from you. Just consider it an open invitation…always," and Linda brushed her hand up and down Sookie's shoulder.

Sookie thoughts swirled around her Mom and Breandan, the Diner and Amelia. "It's all going to be all right!" Linda assured her. "Moving out to Minnesota doesn't mean you have to give him up. You know, a man with his kind of money can afford to fly out whenever he wants and if he really loves you, he'll do the right thing to court you. He'll know he needs to give you time to mourn before asking you to start a new life."

"How do you know what kind of money Breandan has?" Sookie asked. She wasn't really curious, she just wanted Linda to stop talking about Breandan not being with her.

"I Googled him," Linda snorted, and then snorted, "Didn't you?" When Sookie shook her head, Linda huffed. "Romance is all well and good, Sookie, but I gave you more credit for being sensible. For all you know he's some fly by night liar who's just using you." 

"He doesn't lie!" Sookie exclaimed, her heart hurting a little more.

"Well, he didn't lie about the money," Linda nodded. ""There's quite a bit on the Internet about the O'Hara's. The family even has a Wiki page. Mostly it's about the hotels and their connection to the Brigants who own hotels in the southern part of the country."

"Any mention of Breandan?" Sookie couldn't help asking.

"No, not directly. The business is closely held and its always run by a family member. Oh, here's something interesting…" and Linda waited for Sookie to look her way, "It says there's a legend that their family is related to the Sidhe."

"Sidhe?" Sookie asked. Her Aunt had pronounced it ' _Sid-hee_ ,' but Sookie was pretty sure she meant to pronounce it ' _Shee_ ,' and then Linda confirmed Sookie's suspicion.

"Fairies!" Linda exclaimed and that made Sookie pause.

"Really?" Things around her felt quiet. She thought of the way Breandan looked when she allowed herself to see him. He did look like every picture in every fairy tale book she'd ever read. She had mostly convinced herself that it was her own imagination trying to see him as being more like her. Now she wondered and then Sookie thought about herself and her Father. She knew she was different, but her Father told her it was a secret. He never said it, but Sookie assumed it was just the two of them who were freaks. What if what she saw in Breandan was real and the reason she could see them as being the same was because they were? What if there were others in the world like her? What if they were…

"Isn't this your street?" Linda asked, breaking Sookie out of her thoughts.

Sookie walked her Aunt up the walk, carrying her suitcase, and opening the door for her. She returned to the car and pulled it down the street. Her head was in a whirl and as she speed-walked past the empty playground, she remembered the black dog who had protected her. "I hope you found a good home," she whispered, a quiet thought in the maelstrom that raged in her brain.

By the time she'd returned, Linda and Breandan had been introduced. Things seemed pleasant on the surface, but Sookie wasn't fooled. Aunt Linda was watching the fiddler through narrowed eyes and her chin jutted forward.

"He's all but cleaned me out!" Michele complained to her daughter, "And in no time at all!"

"Serves you right for playing Gin against him!" Sookie teased lightly. She turned to her Aunt Linda, "Breandan has the most unusual luck with cards! You have to be really lucky to win against him!"

"It's the Irish in me," Breandan replied using his most charming brogue. He half-bowed to Linda, and Sookie could see he wasn't happy either. "It was a pleasure meeting you," he told Linda, "but it's late and I'm afraid visiting will need to wait." He turned to Sookie, "Are you ready?"

"Sookie has to work tonight," Michele explained to Linda. "It'll just be the two of us!" and she looked excited.

"Fran and Pat at the Diner where I work go into overtime tonight. They make turkey dinners for folks to buy," Sookie explained. It was a tradition at the restaurant. Once the ready-made feasts were finished, another twenty were prepared and delivered to a Church for distribution to poor families in the neighborhood. Pat would open the doors tomorrow morning for three hours and the line snaked out the door, and then they closed for the whole weekend.

"We'll be back tomorrow," Breandan repeated. Turning to Linda, he pasted on his best smile, "Sookie's told me a lot about you…and Michele, too, of course!"

Breandan waited until they were in the car. "What was that about?" Breandan asked as they drove away. "She hated me from the minute she came through the door."

"Aunt Linda didn't like my Father," Sookie explained. "I think she's worried you'll be like him."

"And how's that?" Breandan asked, "Does she think I'll drag you all over the world?"

"No, it's not that," Sookie told him. "She said that my Mother loved my Father so much she stopped being herself. She became an extension of my Dad and she doesn't want that for me."

Sookie half-expected Breandan to tease her, but he didn't. Instead, he said, "What is it you wish, Sookie? Do you wish me to make you mine?"

There was something in the way he asked it that made Sookie pause but, before she could answer, they were at the apartment. They parked in back of Breandan's building and Breandan took Sookie's suitcase, following her inside. Together, they headed into the bedroom and Breandan set the suitcase on the dresser. When Sookie stepped forward to start unpacking, though, Breandan wrapped his arms around her and set about unpacking her. He was so intent, Sookie couldn't help the moan that escaped her. She reached up to remove the tie from his hair and basked in the feel of it, silky as it fell across her cheeks.

Breandan lifted her and together they fell onto the bed and in one, smooth motion he was in her, moving in a rhythm they always found together so easily. "What is it you wish of me, Sookie?" he whispered as he stroked her, drawing that tightening feeling with so little effort. "Tell me," he persisted.

"This," Sookie groaned, "This is enough," and she reached down to cradle his balls, squeezing gently. He hissed and raised her legs, opening her so his strokes also rubbed across her clit. Her moans turned to groans and her groans to something louder. She was chanting his name as he came, and then he pulled out, replacing his cock with his tongue, using his fingers until she came, too.

Sookie lay still on the bed, trying to catch her breath. Breandan blew his cool breath across her sweat-sheened skin as he crawled up to lay beside her. He wrapped her in his arms and entangled his legs with hers. "Are you sure?" he winked. "Are you sure you don't wish for more? Perhaps you wish for what your friend Amelia has?"

Sookie stilled. She turned so she could see Breandan's beautiful face more clearly. His lips were perfect, and the blade of his nose was perfectly straight. His blue eyes were like lakes. It was too dark to see the flecks of green in them, but Sookie knew they were there, reminding her of green leaves and dark forests. She took a deep breath, strengthening her heart against the hurt of knowing she loved a man who didn't feel the same way about her, or, at least, not yet. "Of course, I want that someday," and she glanced away. "It's just too soon, I guess. Jumping into things is okay for some people, Amelia…but for me? I guess I'm too much of a plodder. I'm happy with the way things are and I'm willing to wait to see how things develop."

"So, if I were to ask you to marry me," and Sookie stopped Breandan with a hand over his mouth.

"Don't," she said. "With how things are between us, how little we know each other, I'd turn you down." Sookie was staring at Breandan's chest so she didn't see the flash of anger that crossed his face, narrowing his eyes. "It's just too soon," she concluded and kissed his chest, then tilted her head so she could rest her forehead against her.

' _You'd turn me down_?' The thought snaked through Breandan's brain. It didn't seem possible, and yet, she'd said it. Sookie Stackhouse thought so much of herself that she would reject him, Breandan Brigant, Prince of the Fae!

"You're not mad, are you?" Sookie was asking.

"No, of course not," Breandan told her. If he'd been truthful, he would have told her he was furious. He glanced at the clock, "You should take a shower," he told her. "You have to be at the Diner in less than an hour."

"Oh, cheese and rice!" Sookie exclaimed and jackknifed off the bed. She didn't seem to notice that he hadn't returned her gestures.

Breandan waited until he heard the water running before retrieving his phone to call his Father.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

The night before Thanksgiving with Breandan became a breathless, sweaty marathon. He pushed her in ways he hadn't before, leaving Sookie both sated and cold. Something had changed, but there was no time to consider it.

The next day was the holiday and between the work required to put food on the table and the party manners required of a family gathering, Sookie didn't have one spare moment. Sookie couldn't help noticing that Linda was kinder to Sam Merlotte than she was to Breandan. It made her even more tense and when it was time to leave, Michele seemed out of sorts. She was agitated and asked Breandan if he'd forgotten something. Finally, when she asked for what seemed like the hundredth time, Breandan wrapped her in his arms and hugged her.

"No, Michele, nothing that was important was forgotten," he said pleasantly. It seemed an odd thing to say and Michele turned worried eyes toward Sookie. Then something strange happened. Breandan kissed her Mother's head and for one odd moment, it almost seemed as if light was being drawn out of her Mother and into Breandan. Sookie blinked twice, then it was gone and Sookie shook it off, sure the tension of the day had her imagining things.

The next morning, Sookie's phone rang. It was Linda. The ambulance was taking her Mother to the hospital. Three days later, Michele Stackhouse was dead, the tumor growing in her head finally pressing against the nerves that controlled her heart.

"Your Mom agreed to donate her organs," Linda was scowling as they sat in the family sitting area, waiting for the official death certificate. "They're going to cremate her right here and they want us to come back in two days for her ashes."

"Ashes?" Sookie was numb.

"Perhaps it would be best not to speak of this now," Breandan had his arm around Sookie. Sookie snuggled closer. There was still something off between them, but she felt better touching Breandan than being anywhere else. Even with the distance in his touch it was better than the numb nothingness caused by the loss of her Mother.

"It's not Christian," Linda carped. "We should be able to make arrangements and do this right." She turned her frank, matter-of-fact eyes, to Sookie, "We should bury her in Minnesota. It's the only home she's ever known. There's a family cemetery. I can make arrangements to get a plot for her near Mom and Dad. I'm sure Pastor Anderson would say a few words."

"I…" and Sookie's voice faltered. Nothing was the way it was supposed to be. Michele had been in and out of consciousness the first day, but, after that, she didn't recognize them anymore. The last thing she'd done was lay Sookie's hand in Breandan's and say, "Follow your dream, Sookie. He loves you. Go with him."

Sookie cried for a long time that night in Breandan's apartment before she gathered herself enough to ask, "Was Momma right, Breandan? Do you love me?"

"Yes," Breandan told her and although he could feel her happiness, he knew it was too late. Sookie Stackhouse had had her chance and now things would move forward according to his Father's plan. It was hard to keep his face neutral, but the reality had returned. Breandan knew the idea of ever finding his happiness with this woman had been a fantasy, nothing more.

"Your Mother wished you to come with me," he comforted her. "I have contacted my family. They have some influence. Your Mother told me you have a current passport. They are arranging for a visa. You still have your student status and there is an arrangement between our countries that will allow you to stay in Ireland for up to a year. Perhaps by the time your visa expires things will have changed." He didn't specify which things, knowing Sookie would assume he was talking about making her his bride.

When they told Aunt Linda the news, she was angry. "Sookie needs to be here with her family!" Linda snapped.

"Other than blood, how are you qualified as family?" Breandan challenged. "I have been the one who has been with them these months. I have been a part of their lives and I have not been shy about making my desire to have Sookie with me clear." Breandan made sure his eyes were warm as he stroked Sookie's back. "There is nothing left in this country for Sookie but sorrow. I will bring her to my house by the sea. She will have beaches and hills to wander. She will have all the time she needs to mourn and when she's ready, I can offer her a new life. Can you say the same?"

"Minnesota is just as pretty," Linda argued. "There are cousins…"

"Who are strangers," Breandan finished. "She is no more familiar with what you offer than where I would take her. The difference that I see is that what I offer is a future with a man she loves." Sookie had looked up at him then, her eyes watery.

"Will you come with me, my beautiful girl?" he'd asked again in front of Aunt Linda, and it was settled.


	12. Chapter 11 - A Place of Blinding Green

**Chapter 11 – A Place of Blinding Green**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"I'm so lucky to have you," Sookie whispered to Breandan as they walked toward the Diner door. As if on impulse she turned, stopping Breandan by placing her hand against his chest. "I'm not sure how I would have made it through this," she told him, and then reaching up, she tugged until he leaned down for her kiss.

It was a good kiss, telling the fiddler how much he meant to her. "It's okay, Sookie," he told her and almost stepped back, but she was having none of it. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him to her. She breathed against him, her happiness and love for him almost corporeal in its manifestation. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help pulling her right back. "They're waiting," he said over her head.

"Let them wait," Sookie sighed against him. "All I know is when I'm with you like this, it's like you keep all the bad things away just by being there." Sookie sighed again, "I know I'm being silly, but you have to know. I love you, Breandan. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me!"

Breandan couldn't answer. The tightness that seemed to have taken over his chest twisted in its uncomfortable way. Ever since he'd given his Father the date on which he'd deliver this woman, he'd found himself increasingly unhappy. It made no sense.

' _I don't care for her_ ,' Breandan reminded himself. He recalled the cold stab he'd felt at her insult. ' _She will learn to rue the day she chose to insult a Fae!_ ' he repeated internally, trying to steel himself against her, but his arms chose to tighten around her anyway.

It seemed he was unable to stop betraying what he knew was the right way to be. It was easy to remember the importance of his pride when he was alone or when he had to watch Aunt Linda drilling him with her clear disapproval. During those times, Breandan knew he was right to hand Sookie over to his Father and the fate awaiting her, but then there were times like these.

Her Mother's death seemed to have wrapped the sassy, independent woman he knew in layers of emotion, making her both soft and vulnerable. One minute she was strong, telling her Aunt Linda what her Mother wished, the next she was crying and clinging to him, thanking him for his protection. Her grief sat on her shoulder and Breandan felt his heart waver. On that first night after her Mother died, Sookie attacked him, demanding his lovemaking, telling him she needed to feel something good or she'd go crazy and the sweetness of it almost made him forgive her.

Almost…

But as they lay there afterward, the sweat cooling from their bodies, he remembered again how callously she'd thrown his offer aside. He was willing to betray everything he was, all the traditions of his people for her, but it meant nothing! She wanted to wait until things were more convenient! She put her own sensibilities first, before him, as though she was his better!

There was some, small, part of Breandan that knew he wasn't remembering it exactly as it happened, but he swept those grumblings aside. She insulted him and for a Fae, that was all that counted.

But now, standing in the cold parking lot, her arms around him, his pride didn't seem as important. "You're cold," Breandan said reasonably. "Come, let's go in."

"Are you sure you want to take me with you?" Sookie asked instead, resisting his effort to push her forward.

"To Ireland?" She was nodding against his coat. He opened his mouth and almost said, ' _Go to Minnesota_ ,' freeing her. He took a breath, holding her while he sorted himself. ' _I'm not done with her_ ,' he realized and he began to wonder if he ever would be and the thought was not comforting. "I want you with me," he said out loud because that, at least, was true.

"I want to be with you, too," Sookie squeezed once more, and then stepped back, her eyes shining as if Breandan was the most wonderful man in the world. Then her lips lifted, not in that open, free way she had, but in the sadder way she was now in this world where she was an orphan. "Look at you! I've kept you outside with all my silliness and you're freezing!" She turned then and hooked her arm through his, laying her head against his arm and Breandan was struck by how natural it felt.

"I thought you two were going to stand out there in the parking lot all night!" Amelia scolded once they walked inside. She rushed to Sookie, wrapping her friend in a hug, "I am so sorry, Sookie!" She'd said it when they were together before, but the words still brought tears to Sookie's eyes and Breandan smelled them, drawn again to her sorrow.

"Come on and sit down," Fran bustled out from the back. There was a booth set aside for them. It was the one with more room, so Sookie and Breandan easily slid in beside Sean and Kiernan, the guitarist in the band with whom Breandan played.

"We're going to miss you, Bro," Kiernan greeted, holding up his beer while handing another to Breandan so they could tap glasses. "Of course, I figured the only reason you came over here in the first place was to find the prettiest girl in the country and steal her and, by God, you have!"

"My family has a long history of stealing beautiful women," Breandan teased in return, but when he looked at the woman beside him, he wasn't sure it was so funny. He wasn't taking her as his lover, he was taking her as his Father's hostage. It wasn't the same.

"It could have been better circumstances," Pat said. The owner of the Diner was setting down a platter of sandwiches. "We're going to miss you," he told Sookie. "You were one of our best workers."

"But if anyone deserves to find her happiness, it's you," Fran, Pat's wife, patted Sookie's hand. "It's clear as day the two of you were meant to be together. Like a fairytale, you are!"

"I love him," Sookie said out loud.

"And it's a good thing you do!" Pat declared, "Seeing as you're traveling halfway around the world to be with him!"

There was some small cheering around them at Sookie's very public declaration and Breandan pulled her to him, kissing her to cover his growing unhappiness, earning more cheers. That was the thing. He wanted to be happy. He wanted to tell her those words in return and it made his teeth grind. This wasn't how things were supposed to be.

"So, you have a place to live already?" Amelia asked.

"My Father has an apartment set aside in the hotel in Slievemore," Breandan told them. It was part of the plan. Sookie would have her temporary work status. She would be set to the task of learning the hotel business so she could properly fit in. She would be surrounded by 'friends' who would really be watchers. Breandan would be sent on longer and longer assignments and soon she would be isolated, an unknowing bird in her cage. The thought of it made his chest so tight, he almost reached up to massage it. He glanced at Sookie's trusting face and found himself saying, "Still, I'm not taking her there straight away. I have a family cottage the next town over in Killary. It's a bit isolated, but it's right on the beach. I can commute into town and Sookie will have some time to learn the place."

"I'll be living on the ocean?" Sookie's face shone and Breandan felt like a knight once more.

"There's sea glass there to collect and hills you can walk. It's a beautiful place, even in winter," and he found himself lost in the idea of sitting with her in front of the fire, holding her in his arms.

"Got room for visitors?" Amelia interrupted Breandan's dream.

"It's a standard cottage," Breandan stammered. "Two bedrooms up top under the eaves."

"Then that's where we're spending winter break!" Amelia announced.

Breandan's eyes widened. This wasn't part of the plan and he wasn't sure what his Father would think. Sookie's mouth opened, but Amelia bucketed on, "It will be just after Christmas and Sean and I have the whole month for winter break. I can't think of anyplace I'd rather celebrate our engagement than with you in Ireland! It's all so romantic!"

"You won't mind sharing your cottage for a couple weeks, will you?" Sean asked. "I heard that the western part of Ireland is beautiful. We could help you guys get settled."

"Don't say no," Amelia laughed, "I've already bought the tickets. Shannon Airport, right? We'll be there in just three weeks!"

"January on the Peninsula can be a bit dodgy," Breandan tried to sound discouraging. "For one thing, it's dark this time of year. It's night almost sixteen hours a day and it rains more often than not. It gets cold, too. There's days the mountain roads are too icy to pass. You could find yourself stuck out there and not able to get back to the airport."

"How romantic!" Amelia squealed.

"What do people do for fun?" Sean seemed to be wavering, but before Breandan could add a few more things to discourage him, the owner of the Diner chimed in.

"They go to the pub," Pat told Sean, then he winked. "They visit their neighbors all together in a bright place and they play music until the wee hours of the night."

It was the perfect thing to say, so Breandan wasn't surprised when Sean exclaimed, "Really? Count me in! Plenty of night to spend in bed with my girl and spending the rest of my time playing music and drinking? Sounds like paradise!"

It didn't take Sookie long on the ride home to catch Breandan's sour mood. He could see her from the corner of his eye as he drove. She was watching him and she looked worried. ' _Good_ ,' he thought, ' _get yourself worked up enough for a fight and I'll have the excuse to make you disinvite them!_ '

Once they were inside, she still hadn't challenged him. Instead, she hugged him and told him she was getting him some tea. "Some of the cinnamon blend you like," she said softly, laying her hand against his cheek as she passed. When Sookie returned, she set the cup on the table in front of him, the spoon and honey beside it just as he liked. She sat close and lay her head against his shoulder before saying, "I am so sorry, Breandan. I've been so selfish!"

He couldn't for the life of him figure out what she was talking about and when he remained silent, she turned to him with caring eyes, "You've been so wonderful throughout all of this with my Mom and my Aunt. I can't imagine how you feel. This must remind you of how you lost your own Mother. I am sorry!"

Breandan was so taken aback that when she asked how his Mother died, he found himself telling her. He changed the story a bit, leaving out the year and the particulars, but when he said she'd been shot, Sookie gasped. "How terrible! You never had the chance to tell her goodbye!"

Breandan couldn't understand why she was saying this. Humans didn't care about Fae, they used them for what the Fae gave and then they faded along with their beauty. Humans didn't ask about how the Fae felt or cared about them as people. "You don't talk about her much, but I can tell you loved her," Sookie was stroking his chest. "What was she like? Did she look like you?"

"Why do you care?" Breandan asked.

Her hand stopped and she looked at him, first with surprise and then with such love while she told him, "Because I care about you, Breandan. I love you! I want to know everything about you. You are the most important person in my life."

So, he told her. He told her of how his Mother loved music and how she loved to dance. He recalled things she'd told him and the ways she stood up for him against his Father. He felt so comfortable talking with this woman that he almost told her how his Mother delayed his marriage, but, luckily, he remembered where he was in time.

They talked of other things, silly stories of when Sookie grew up and how Breandan learned to defend himself. He told her a little of his extended family and she listened carefully to each name and asked questions. As the hour grew late, she drew herself into this lap. She faced him and bit her lip and when Breandan leaned forward, thinking this was a prelude to sex, Sookie pushed him back.

"When are you going to stop hiding from me?" she asked. She wouldn't meet his eyes, but then she did.

"What do you mean?" he asked, but he knew what she meant. She confirmed it when she touched his ears, and then ran her fingers along the slanted planes of his cheeks.

"I see you," she said carefully, "and I think you see me, too." When Breandan didn't respond, she said, "You don't need to be frightened. It's okay. At least we've found each other, right? I mean, I didn't know there was anyone else like me and now, here you are!"

"You really don't know what you are, do you?" Breandan asked. He sat back and held her eyes as he dropped his masque. He watched as her eyes grew wider. "Well?" he challenged, "What about you? Are you going to stop pretending as well?"

"I'm not sure I can slip it off so easily," she stammered. "My Daddy told me from the time I was little to treat it like it was what was under my skin and never let it come off. He told me that it would hurt."

"Your Father was wise," Breandan soothed her, suddenly anxious for her to join him. "He knew that being different in this world was dangerous, but you don't need to hide from me." A voice within him wanted to tell Sookie he was lying, that of all creatures she needed to hide from him most of all, but, in the next moment, she was revealed before him and she was even more enchanting than he had imagined.

Of course, he had glimpsed her as she was as she had obviously seen him, but even the sharp eyes of a Fae could not see through a masque completely. Sookie's face was beautiful, for all it wasn't perfect. He could see the question on her face, so he answered it before she asked, "You are beautiful!"

Sookie didn't bother to hide the relief on her face. "You asked if I knew what I was. Do you know?"

"Fae," Breandan told her. "Or part Fae."

"Like a Fairy?" and Sookie giggled. "Really? That's the best you have?"

Breandan stood and pulled Sookie to the mirror. He stood behind her and pulled her hair back, revealing her ears. "Look," he ordered her. "Did you really think all those stories were just fools' tales? Surely a girl as smart as you knew there couldn't be that many stories without having some kernel of truth at their core. You are Fae, so am I, and where we're going, Sookie, there are more of us. Not many, I'll grant you, but you'll see them every day and now that you aren't afraid to look, you'll see us as we are."

Sookie's eyes linked with his, her reflection so hopeful. She reached up to entwine her fingers with his. "I always thought I was the only one," she whispered, "after my Daddy died."

"You were wrong," Breandan replied, "and when we get to your new home, you'll see even more just how much you belong there."

"Do you want to kiss me?" she teased, clearly done with thinking about moving to new places and seeing new people just like her.

"No, little Miss Pointy Ears," Breandan smirked, then leaning down to nip her neck, said, "I have other things in mind." He lifted her and then almost dropped her before carrying her rather ungracefully to the bed and dumping her in the middle of it.

Breandan was fairly certain the walls were soundproof, but he wouldn't have cared if they weren't. Sookie yelled his name, begging and urging while he rose to her challenge, holding back until she came so hard she felt like a fist around him and he saw stars as he roared to his own completion. She was asleep almost at once and he held her to him, stroking her hair and watching as her masque slipped back in place, such a part of her subconscious that it was her natural state. Almost on cue, his phone buzzed. Breandan reached over to see it was his Father.

"I called earlier," Rogan rasped, "but the phone rolled over to voicemail. Apparently, you were too busy to answer your King."

"My apologies, Majesty," Breandan soothed, easing himself from the bed and closing the door behind him. "We are packing. There are papers to sign. I'm using our attorney here to expedite matters. She will need to be in touch with him at least for awhile to settle the estate."

"You said they were poor!" Rogan scoffed, "What estate could there be?"

"Not so much in possessions, but there are some life insurance policies and other legal papers. Even dying in this country is a complicated matter." Breandan tried to gauge his Father's mood. He wondered what his Father would say after he told him he wasn't taking Sookie to the hotel upon their arrival.

"I've decided to send you back to the United States in February," Rogan drawled. "I've talked with some of your contacts and they confirmed what you've been saying. It sounds like a good opportunity, and you know the lay of the land…"

"You'd send me away from her so quickly?" Breandan hissed.

"Why not?" Rogan challenged. "She'll be in the hotel. I'll make certain she's busy. I'm sure I can arrange someone to fill her bed if you think she'll be lonely…"

"She's just lost her Mother," Breandan growled. "She's fragile. Do you really think you can shuffle people in and out of her life and she'll remain?"

"Why are you arguing?" Rogan growled right back. "What does it matter how fragile she is? She's human, we'll just…"

"You can't glamour her!" Breandan retorted. "I've told you, but, like always, you don't listen! You just want your own way, but not this time! This is my responsibility and I'll handle it." Breandan took a deep breath, "She's vulnerable and she's lost her only relative and her home. It's a perfect time to have her come to see Ireland as her new home. If we handle this properly, she'll become too attached to be able to completely break from the place."

When Rogan didn't protest, Breandan continued, "You know we need her to be willing to stay. If she fights us, it will become known and Niall could use that to take her. If she's attached, even if she has a bad day, her emotions will keep her rooted and we'll know if there's any attempt to steal her." It was well known if a human wanted to stay in a Fae's territory, even a little bit, consent would serve as a leash, holding them there.

"So, what is this plan of yours?" Rogan asked.

"I'm taking her to Killary," Breandan told his Father. "Not for an extended period, but for a few months. There are people from Boston, her friends, who have made arrangements to visit in January. It will build memories, reasons for her to stay."

"So, playing the human?" Rogan sneered. "What's next? Tea parties and visits from the local garden club?"

"You chose me for this job," Breandan countered. "I didn't want it, but I am doing it. You wanted her in Ireland. She's coming. You want her to stay. I am telling you how it will happen."

"You're certain she doesn't have some hold on you?" his Father questioned.

"She is following me," Breandan snarled. "And don't write her off as some mere human! She is a hybrid. She isn't without her own tricks."

"Like what?" Breandan could hear the new note in his Father's voice.

"Her tears can be powerful," Breandan told his Father, "like a Banshee's tears. They call you in and weaken your resolve. She's attractive and pleasing. Even the vampire you sent to watch her formed a fondness for her. Why risk turning her loose among our people until we're sure what affect she may have on them?"

"What else can she do?" Rogan asked.

"She is immune to glamour as I've told you. She can share her essence with others. I haven't observed any other particular gifts, but she's just learning what she is. She saw through my masque and she's excited to know she's part Fae and there are more like her. Her Father never explained what she was. It's possible he didn't know either." Thinking of Sookie growing up, not understanding her gifts, and always hiding only made Breandan's desire to protect her stronger. ' _It's not real_ ,' he told himself. _'It's some kind of glamour or calling_ ,' but he didn't really believe it.

"I'm keeping you on a short leash," Rogan told him. "If I find you've deceived me or if you think to run with her, you'll regret it!"

"I am your Son," Breandan hissed. "I have obeyed you in all things! How dare you question me on this!"

"No one remains King who doesn't question all things!" Rogan snapped back and the connection was ended.

"Breandan?" She was standing in the doorway. "Is everything all right?"

The streetlights caught her, her slight glow, her warm eyes. "It's nothing," he soothed.

"You were fighting with your Father," she said as a statement. "Because of me."

"He thinks you have bewitched me," Breandan advanced on her. "He doesn't understand how a snip of a girl from America could have captured me so completely," and Breandan swept her into his arms.

"I don't think you're all that captured!" Sookie sassed.

"You're wrong, Mistress," Breandan purred, "let me show you how I know," then Breandan took her back to bed, banishing all thoughts of his Father and what was coming in the lush welcome of Sookie Stackhouse.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

The apartment was cleaned out and the keys handed back to Sam.

"I'll miss you," he'd mumbled as Sookie said her goodbyes, and then that door closed.

Sookie walked down the concrete sidewalk toward the car one last time followed by Aunt Linda. "I guess I'll never see this place again," she said as she got back in the car, the enormity of what she was doing hit her.

It hadn't taken more than a few hours to pack her clothes and clean out the rest. The furniture wasn't theirs. There were only a handful of photographs in frames. Even the things in the kitchen belonged to Sam Merlotte. They'd traveled on a shoestring as her Mother was fond of saying, so now there was nothing.

There had been a couple surprises. There was the box of men's clothing Sookie found under her Mother's bed. They were things that had belonged to her Father and Sookie brought the jacket she remembered so well to her nose, hoping to smell him. Instead, she'd smelled her Mother. Sookie sat on the stripped bed, imagining her Mom doing the same thing, over and over again, until all traces of Corbett Stackhouse were gone. The tears leaked out of her as they so often did. Sookie felt like a big grief cup that just filled and filled until it overflowed and there was little she could do about it. "I miss you," she said to the air, meaning her Mom, her Dad, Jason, and the life of a family that was gone forever.

The other surprise was a shoebox filled with photographs Sookie had never seen. Mostly, they were photographs of her Dad. There were photos of when he was a boy in Minnesota and a woman Sookie assumed was her Grandmother. There were also lots of photos of her Mom and Dad together. They had been a handsome couple and the love they felt for each other was so clear it hurt to see. There were some photos of herself and Jason, but not a lot. There was only one she could find of her Father standing with the two of them and it reminded Sookie of something she'd come to accept a long time ago; Corbett Stackhouse was her Mother's favorite and her Mother only had one favorite. There had been times, growing up, when Sookie promised herself she would never treat her own children as second-best but, now, she wouldn't have children, not as long as she was with Breandan, so it was a worry she no longer had.

At the very bottom of the shoebox were two documents. One was her Mother's birth certificate, the official copy with the stamp and everything. The other was her Father's birth certificate and Sookie's hand trembled as she opened it.

There was her father's name. He was Corbett Niall Stackhouse, although Sookie never remembered him mentioning he had a middle name, even when she'd teased. He was born in a house, not in a hospital, and his Mother was listed as Adele Mary Hale, not Clare as Sookie had been told. The Father's name spaces were blank and Sookie marveled at the courage it must have taken in those days to stand up in a farming community and admit her child was illegitimate.

Sookie looked back through the pictures in the box. The older ones were black and white, but even faded and creased, it was clear Adele Hale was a handsome woman. She smiled out, holding her laughing child, her chin up and her eyes bright. "She looks like you," Aunt Linda told her when Sookie showed her the photo.

"At least the part about her being born in Ireland was true," Sookie nodded, taking the Kleenex her Aunt offered while she pointed to the name of the town and county carefully typed on the form.

Now the photo box was safely packed in Sookie's two suitcases, ready for the flight overseas.

Linda stayed with them in Breandan's apartment that last night and they talked. Breandan was out for a going away thing with his bandmates. She'd been invited, but she couldn't see leaving her Aunt to sit alone. "Besides, I'm not in a party mood," she'd assured Breandan. "Go have fun! I'll see you when you get back."

With flights just around the corner, neither of them wanted to shop for food or clean up again after cooking, so Sookie and Linda walked down a block and picked up Chinese food. "I'll have to give him one thing. Your Breandan sure knows how to live," Linda huffed, looking around the apartment.

"It's his family's money," Sookie shrugged. "He doesn't live like this, not really. He works. He's not lazy." Sookie had grown up believing that idleness was on the sin list right next to being dirty and stealing from poor people. She knew Aunt Linda felt the same.

Linda shook her head and drew a deep breath through her nose. "I can't help it. I don't trust your Breandan, Sookie. I know your Mother was all on board with you going overseas with him, but you've only known him a few months. You don't know how things are going to turn out! It's easy to be pleasant for a little while, but until you spend real time with him, you don't really know who he is and by the time you do, you'll be thousands of miles away surrounded by strangers."

"I know how to take care of myself!" Sookie protested. "You forget! I've moved all my life. I've been surrounded by strangers every few years."

"But you had family," Linda challenged. "What if you find yourself in real trouble over there? You'll speak the language, but he'll be a native and you won't. They're a mostly Catholic country. You're not and you'll be living with this rich young man without the benefit of marriage. Pretty much everyone you meet will see you as some silly, American, floozy who deserves whatever she gets. And if he hits you? What then?"

"He's not like that!" Sookie shook her head, "I know him! I'll grant you, I don't know him well, which is why I'm not going to marry him right away. I know Mom wanted me to be married, but once it's law it's a whole new level and I've yet to see a marriage law favoring the woman. I get it!" Sookie had to stop and swallow. The pain of her Mother's passing was so fresh, just the mention of her made tears spring to her eyes. Linda reached across the table and grabbed Sookie's hand hard. It helped the younger woman refocus. "I know going away with him is a risk, Aunt Linda. I don't know anyone in Ireland, but I just feel like this is the right thing for me to do! I feel like I've been waiting to go there all my life." Sookie couldn't tell Linda what she now knew about herself. She couldn't explain how excited she was to be heading to a place where she would meet more people like her. When she was being whimsical, she imagined Breandan as her own Prince Charming, coming out of nowhere to rescue her and return her to a magical place where she'd finally fit in. She was sure it wouldn't be that easy, but she knew she had to go and find out.

What she could tell Linda was, "I want to find out where my Father's people came from. The place where his Mom, Adele, was born, is one peninsula away from where we'll be living. I bet I could walk there!" Sookie squeezed her Aunt's hand back, "All those years we moved? Daddy said it was for work, but sometimes I thought we were running from something." When Linda's eyes narrowed, Sookie laughed, "I know! I'm probably imagining things! Mom always said I was a dreamer, but, still, I could have relatives there and I'd like to find out."

"Wait here," Linda told her and she walked back into the second bedroom, then returned with some papers. "I did some research at the library earlier today while you were dropping things at Goodwill." She spread the papers on the table. They were about becoming an Irish citizen. "According to this, there's a special arrangement between the United States and Ireland. If you can prove your grandparent was born in Ireland, you could be entitled to dual citizenship."

"Why would I…" Sookie hesitated.

"Why?" Linda challenged. "Let's say this is the right move for you and you want to live there. Do you really want your status to be dependent on whether Breandan O'Hara decides to marry you? You know your Mother expected him to ask you at Thanksgiving, and then he didn't. Who knows if he ever will?"

"He kind of asked me the night before," Sookie admitted. "I turned him down."

"Well," Linda said and Sookie could see she gained back some respect in her Aunt's eyes. "Well," she said again and poked the paperwork with her finger. "If you want to build your own life in Ireland, you will need legal standing and this could help you get it free and clear. Without this, you'd be hard-pressed to get a loan in your own name, much less buy a car. You have your Grandmother's name and your Dad's birth certificate. After you arrive, go to this Foreign Birth place and get things moving right away. If things don't work out and you come home; no harm, no foul, but if you decide to stay there, then you'll have the same rights as anyone else."

"We really are a practical family, aren't we?" Sookie sighed.

"Good farming stock," Linda nodded. "Don't come any more level-headed than Minnesota Lutherans!"

Breandan came home late, smelling of beer and whiskey. He tickled and teased until Sookie attacked him. Their love-making was fast and desperate, punctuated by sharp elbows and nips in their hurry to have each other. "I am yours," Breandan admitted again, his head against her chest as she held him in the aftermath.

"I love you," she assured him and Breandan wondered how long it would be before she stopped saying those words to him as the reality of Ireland began. The pain in his chest sharpened again and he shifted to try and get away from it.

"You okay?" Sookie asked, stroking his hair away from his face.

"We should sleep," he replied. "You may have trouble sleeping tomorrow on the plane."

"Our new life," Sookie entwined her fingers with his and he lifted their joined hands to kiss hers. He wanted to reassure her, but words failed him, so he turned on his side and brought her closer, spooning against her back, and wishing silently that the happiness he felt didn't have to end.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Linda's plane departed around noon and Breandan put their luggage in storage at Logan. They rode the T back into town to meet Amelia and Sean for lunch downtown. Sookie had sold her car to Fran and the money was on a debit card she could use to open her own bank account once she reached Ireland. Breandan assured her it was an easy process provided she did it in person. "There's a bank in Killary," he told her, "and it has a branch in Slievemore, which is where my work is located and yours, too, if you're willing."

They hadn't talked about Sookie working, but they both knew it was only a matter of time. Given Sookie's nature, she wouldn't be able to stay idle long.

They jumped off at the Aquarium and made their way to Durgin Park at Quincy Market. Sookie marveled again at how clearly she saw Breandan now. Nothing around them changed, but just knowing she wasn't a freak, that there were others who looked like she did, made everything seem better. Sean and Amelia were standing just inside the Market building, keeping out of the cold, and they walked out to greet them. Together they walked up the stairs and into the old dining room. They were seated across from each other at the tables, their waitress surly and abrupt, and soon they were laughing, watching hapless fellow diners who didn't know the rules being schooled by the staff.

"It's all settled," Amelia grinned. "We'll be at the airport in three weeks."

"We'll be outside waiting for you," Sookie grinned up at Breandan. "Just try to keep the suitcases reasonable. The cars there are smaller."

"Bring rope!" Sean laughed. "I'll have a duffle bag and Amelia will bring her whole wardrobe!"

"We're going to be in Ireland for almost a whole month!" Amelia rolled her eyes. "There's all kinds of places to see and things to do."

"It will be Sookie traveling with you," Breandan reminded them. "I will be expected to go to work as soon as I'm back. My Father figures I've had all the vacation I deserve being here as long as I have."

"I thought you said he was pleased with the opportunities you found," Sookie laid her hand over his. Breandan never complained, but she could tell his Father was a stern taskmaster.

"Oh, he is. He wanted me to turn right around and return here to get things moving, but I told him I wanted to stay put for a bit," and Breandan raised Sookie's hand to his lips so she'd know why.

"Why aren't you getting married again?" Amelia asked.

Breandan's eyes cut across the table and Sookie felt her face flush, "Like I told you," Sookie stammered. "We're taking our time."

"Amelia!" Sean scolded, "Stop pressuring them!" He grabbed a cornbread muffin as he said, "I'd imagine renting a car is easy enough once we get there," and the conversation turned back to Christmas and where the couple should visit while they were in the country.

After lunch, they walked the few blocks to the Black Rose and clustered around the table, ordering beers and a round of shots. "To new beginnings!" Amelia cheered.

"To lasting friendships," Sookie added.

All too soon, they were hugging and promising to text, then Breandan and Sookie walked back to the Orange line to take the ride back out to Logan. Their plane didn't leave until ten at night, but there were extra bags to check and Customs to clear. The terminal at Logan was comfortable and Breandan had privileges at a special lounge reserved for first class travelers with their airlines. For Sookie, who had never traveled by air before, it was all an adventure. Still, she was bleary-eyed and slow-footed when their flight was called.

Breandan settled her in their First-Class seats near the front of the plane and an attendant was there almost immediately, offering blankets and eye masks. Sookie found herself tongue-tied and suddenly afraid. "It's going to be all right," Breandan assured her and, for the first time, he took over. He arranged their seats and made sure she was comfortable. He pulled things from her backpack and made sure she had headphones and her book available.

When they finally took off and the lights in the cabin dimmed, Breandan raised the armrest and pulled Sookie so she could rest her head against him, taking comfort as they always did from having contact with each other. Despite her nerves, or maybe because of them, she fell quickly asleep and soon, Breandan did, too.

It seemed he'd just closed his eyes when suddenly Sookie was poking him, "Look!" she was saying. The window shade was open and light was streaming in. Her face was to the window and even without touching her, he could feel her delight.

Breandan leaned over. There were clouds below, but the sun was bright for a change and even though it was winter, there was green on the hills. "It's beautiful!" Sookie sighed, tilting her head to kiss him.

' _You are_ ,' Breandan agreed silently, wishing things were different.


	13. Chapter 12 - The Turning Season

**Chapter 12 – The Turning Season**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

They walked through Customs and on to Baggage Claim. Breandan had walked through these areas more times than he could recall but, for Sookie, these things were all new. Her eyes darted from one thing to the next, her face in constant motion, and Breandan found himself caught up in her excitement. She was like a bird and he smiled to watch her flight from windows to posters, and then back to his side. "We're really here," she said again.

She looked poised to take off when she spotted movement near the luggage carts, so Breandan snaked his arm around her to hold her in place. That's when he caught it. There, buried under her curiosity, was something else. "Don't be afraid," he comforted her.

"I can't hide anything from you, can I?" and Sookie nudged him a little. "I'm not afraid," and when Breandan let her know he knew better, Sookie added, "At least, not much, but can you blame me? This has all been a whirlwind. I keep waiting for things to slow down, but they haven't, and when they do…"

"I'll be here for you," Breandan assured her, hoping he was telling her the truth rather than knowing it.

The claxon sounded, the baggage belt starting with a jerk and a whine, and Sookie pulled away from him again, flying toward the door where suitcases were emerging, flashing her bright smile before turning to watch for their bags.

When they collected their things and walked through the final gates, they found themselves in a large lobby. Breandan's eyes scanned, looking for the driver his Father promised. Breandan had suggested he just rent a car, but Rogan dismissed the idea. "You'll be tired," he told Breandan. "Why not ride to your holiday home in style?"

"There you are." Breandan recognized the voice before he turned. He should have known his Father's gift would have some uncomfortable edge and that mischief was now standing behind him.

"Hello, Mae," Breandan greeted his wife. "It's been a long time." The last time he'd seen her was before the War of the Kin. It was the end of the humans' last World War and Mae had told him she was interested in seeing something different. She said it was just a holiday trip to Scotland, but she never returned. Frankly, it had been a relief, which didn't explain why she was back now.

"I can see you've been busy," and her eyes fastened on Sookie. Hybrids weren't unknown, but they were unusual. Fae considered hybrids to be accidents, abominations created by laziness and a lack of pride, and Mae wasn't making much effort to hide her feelings.

On the other hand, Breandan could tell Sookie saw Mae's Fae nature clearly and her delight in seeing another face like hers seemed to keep her from recognizing the rest.

"Mae," Breandan started the introductions, "This is Sookie Stackhouse. She is my…" and he paused. He wasn't sure what to call her, so he used the words that served when he was running his hotel, "special guest." Breandan turned to Sookie, "Sookie, this is Mae…" 

"Brigant," Mae thrust out her hand. Breandan scowled and then he held his breath, waiting for what she'd say next. "And I'm Breandan's…" and Mae flicked her eyes to Breandan's before finishing, "cousin. Kissing cousins, you might say."

"I'm pleased to meet you," Sookie extended hand and shook, but she stepped a little closer to Breandan as though marking out territory. "It's really nice of you to come out here to pick us up," Sookie continued, ever polite. "Breandan's told me some about his family. He didn't mention you."

"Didn't he?" and Mae's smile became more arch than pleasant. "I wonder why that is."

"Probably because you've been away so long," Breandan volunteered.

"So, you missed me?" and Mae was suddenly very close, almost rubbing herself against Breandan. "How tempting!"

Breandan pulled himself up, trying to decide what to say that would stop Mae from going further, but he was stopped by Sookie. She inserted herself between Mae and Breandan and pushed Mae back. Her lip was thrust out and her eyes were snapping, "I don't know who you are," Sookie's tone was still polite, but there was a firmness to it. "I don't believe for one minute that you're his cousin. My guess is you're some old friend, or should I say Lover, who's come here to embarrass him."

Sookie turned to Breandan, "Are you done with this woman?" she asked. Her chin was up and Breandan couldn't help smiling at her.

"What we had was over long ago," he told the short, blond spitfire standing in front of him.

"Then why don't you see about renting us our own car?" Sookie ordered. She turned to Mae and held out her hand, which Mae took. "It's been a pleasure meeting you. Breandan tells me Ireland's a small country. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other, but if you try to create problems between Breandan and me again, I'll take you out!"

Breandan laughed. He couldn't help it. Mae's mouth was hanging open and her eyes flashed. "It was no insult," Breandan pointed out to Mae, "because you started it. Sookie only ended it."

Mae seemed to collect herself, pulling her calm, slightly bored expression back in place. "I can understand why you're attracted to her," his wife conceded before telling Sookie, "You're brave. That's admirable in any creature. I apologize. I didn't realize the nature of your relationship with Breandan."

Sookie waited a moment before saying, "Apology accepted. Everything has happened pretty fast between us. I can understand how some folks might not have heard." Breandan couldn't say anything. Sookie may have thought they were making peace, but Mae's words were a clear warning and he had no doubt the report Mae delivered to Rogan would make his Father even more suspicious.

"Please let me drive you out to Killary. That's where you're staying, right?" and Mae smirked toward Breandan. She pointed toward the door and they walked to the street, Breandan wheeling the cart with their bags. "It's a lovely little place," Mae continued, then answered Sookie's unasked question, "not that Breandan ever took me there." Breandan hadn't. He had shared the romantic house with Claude and he waited, half-expecting his wife to let that detail drop, but she didn't.

"How far is it?" Sookie asked.

"An hour," Mae shrugged. "Maybe more depending on whether there's ice on the road, but there shouldn't be. It's been raining, but the real cold hasn't moved in yet."

"I'd better stop before we go," Sookie announced, then took Breandan's hand and pulled his head down for a kiss before heading off to find the restrooms.

"Does she pee on your leg, too?" Mae snarked.

"Rogan wants her to stay. Did he tell you that?" Breandan hissed. "If her heart's broken before she's even landed, it won't be me you'll have to worry about."

"Are you really tapping that?" Mae's lip curled. "She even smells bad."

"I have served my King through more unpleasant assignments," and Breandan let her know that he considered Mae one of them. "As Rogan orders, I obey."

"You're a bastard!" Mae hissed in return, "and don't forget, you told me I was one of the best you'd ever had."

"I'm generous in my praise," Breandan replied, "and as pleasant as this stroll down Memory Lane has been, perhaps it would be best to focus on the assignment at hand. Why did Rogan recall you? Surely it wasn't just to needle me."

"No," Mae rocked back on her heels, "I get to be one of the hybrid's new minders. Rogan wants me in the hotel. He really wants me to befriend her, but we both know that's not going to happen."

"Jealous?" and Breandan couldn't help the self-satisfied smile from forming on his face.

"A little," Mae shrugged. "You haven't come looking for me in decades. I see Claude more than I see you and it's clear you're fond of her." 

"I am fond of her," Breandan nodded, "but that's the extent of it. From the moment we landed, she became my Father's hostage. I won't forget that."

"I admire her passion," Mae glanced toward the restroom. "Perhaps you'd be willing to share her."

"I don't think her sense of adventure would extend that far," Breandan replied politely, although he had a quick flash of what it might look like and he felt his cock stir. "Besides, you would have to overcome your aversion to hybrids. Disgust and orgasm tend not to be compatible."

"If you believe that, you're more sheltered than I thought," Mae replied, then took a step away to intercept Sookie. "I think you should ride in front with me so we can get to know each other better," she told the blonde, turning her head so Breandan could see her lick her lips.

Mae mostly behaved herself the entire trip. In fact, she often found herself pulled into Sookie's enthusiasm. Each town sign they passed seemed to trigger another torrent of questions and anecdotes Sookie remembered reading from books as a child. As they passed Carrick and started climbing the hills that signaled their arrival onto the peninsula, Sookie asked Mae, "Are there many of us where we're going? I mean, Fae?"

"You see me?" Mae was shocked.

"Sure," Sookie shrugged and when Mae continued to look wary, Sookie asked, "Why? Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break rules or speak out of turn."

"You didn't say anything wrong," Breandan assured the blonde. "Mae is just used to hiding in plain sight. Our disguises and our ability to maintain them can be a matter of pride." 

"Oh," Sookie nodded. "Well, I didn't mean anything by it."

"It's fine," Mae said tightly. "It's just you're unexpected. I haven't met many creatures like you…"

"What do you mean?" Sookie asked. She turned to stare at Breandan who quickly leaned forward to take Sookie's hand.

"She means someone who isn't fully Fae. Your Mother was human and it's possible your Father was a hybrid, too. You see, the Fae here in Ireland tend to be clannish. They keep themselves among the Fae," and Breandan stroked her hand, holding her eyes in an effort to sooth her.

"So, there aren't many like me? There are plenty like you, but…" and Sookie couldn't continue.

"I said it badly," Breandan stammered, "but you're no child. You know prejudice exists in this world and the Fae aren't immune. There are some, like me, who see people for who they are…" Mae snorted and Breandan threw her a sour look. "What Mae is trying to say is that I have been known to avoid humans. For a time, I made an effort to hold them at arm's length, but it's been many years since Mae and I have seen each other and my feelings have changed," and Breandan squeezed Sookie's hand. "You've changed me."

"I guess I thought I'd be coming someplace where I'd finally fit in," Sookie's voice was watery and a single tear slipped to fall down her cheek. In the close confines of the car, the scent flooded the air around them.

"Pull over," Breandan ordered.

"Here?" Mae snapped, but Breandan could see his wife's eyes were pupil-blown as well and she did as he asked.

Breandan threw open his door, breathing in the clean air. He opened Sookie's door and helped her from her seat, sweeping her into his arms and holding her. She was crying now, her body shuddering against his, and he held her tight until she stopped. "I don't know what came over me," she apologized.

"You're tired. You're in a new place and my Father has conspired to make our first hours here less pleasant than they might have been," Breandan soothed her. "Only another half hour and we'll be home. Can you hold it together until then?"

Sookie nodded, but Breandan was taking no chances. He walked around the car and opened the driver's door. "Get out," he ordered Mae. Once his wife was in the backseat, they started on their way again. Breandan distracted Sookie with stories of fanciful things he said happened at the crossroads they saw and sang snippets of songs about some of the places they passed. He called on all his talents as a storyteller, having her alternately laughing and sighing. Even Mae seemed impressed.

It was past noon when they turned from a paved road to a hard-packed road running between two high stone walls that seemed almost too narrow for the car to pass between. When they emerged, it was to find themselves on the top of a small bluff with the sea stretched out before them. "Breandan!" Sookie exclaimed. Almost before the car was parked, she was out the door and running toward the sea.

"She is fetching," Mae conceded. Breandan sat in the driver's seat, watching Sookie take in the scenery around her.

"I want you to get the fuck out of here," Breandan growled. "I want you to get behind the wheel and go back to whatever hole you crawled out of."

"How dare you!" his wife hissed.

"Should I tell Rogan how you handled things today?" Breandan turned around so he could face Mae. "Should I tell him how you almost managed to make her turn right around and head back to the United States?"

"It wasn't that bad!" Mae protested.

"It was worse!" Breandan snapped. "She will never trust you now. She knows you're a jilted lover and you mean her harm. What's more, you've introduced the idea that there's no home for her here. She's been an outsider her whole life. She believed she finally found a place where she'll fit in."

"So, what? You were going to send her into our world not knowing how she'd be treated? Rail against me all you wish, Breandan, but you're the rat bastard! You'd build her up only to have everyone around her tear her down. You want her to stay? Try telling her the truth. At least then she won't be surprised."

Breandan opened his mouth, but shut it again. Mae was a stone bitch, but she was right. "It's not as if she'll be doing much wandering," Breandan said, forming a plan as he talked. "If we keep her confined to the immediate area and the hotel in town, we can make sure she's treated with kindness."

"She doesn't strike me as the kind of woman who's going to stay put," Mae observed.

"That may work to our advantage," Breandan nodded. "Others she meets who aren't under our sway will treat her badly. Naturally, she'd be happier staying where she feels she has friends."

"I underestimated you," Mae got out the car. She waited as Breandan lifted the suitcases from the small trunk and backseat. She didn't offer to help. She climbed into the driver's seat before saying, "I'll report in to your Father. He'll be expecting your call."

"You can tell him to expect me, but not until tomorrow." Sookie was still on the beach and Breandan felt the pull to join her. "Don't torture her," Breandan told his wife. "I won't stand for it."

"You're making a fool of yourself," Mae told him, but before he could ask what she meant, she closed the door and shifted into gear, threading her way between the walls and back to the main road.

Breandan grabbed two of the cases and walked to the door of the tidy, white cottage. It was white-washed stone, it's door painted periwinkle blue. Once upon a time, it had sported a thatched roof, but that was replaced with slate shingles and a glassed sunroom with a heated floor had been added to the back. Breandan touched the lock rather than use the key and the door swung open for him. He set the bags inside, retrieved the others, and did the same before pulling the door shut and walking back toward the beach. Sookie had walked to the water's edge. It was low tide and she was meandering back and forth, her eyes on the sand. Her hair had escaped and flew around her when a breeze caught it. Breandan reached behind him and freed his own hair, then allowed his masque to slip from him. He walked to her in his true form, reveling in her welcoming smile.

"What did you find?" he asked, lifting her hand and stroking her fist until she opened it to reveal several pieces of tumbled green and blue glass. "Tears from the sea," he murmured. "They're welcoming you to your new home."

"Am I going to be happy here?" Sookie asked him.

"I hope so," Breandan replied, pulling her against him so she couldn't see the shadow that passed over his face. As he held her, she shivered. He looked down to see her sneakers were soaked. "I think I should get you inside," and Breandan became all business. "You don't want to be spending your first days in Ireland nursing a nasty cold. Nothing steals the heat from you like a brisk sea breeze, and you without a hat!"

They walked hand in hand but, by the time they got back to the front door, Sookie was shaking. Even inside, the house was chilly and Breandan nestled Sookie into a leather chair in the living room. He turned on the baseboard heater and then opened a chest to pull out a thick, woolen blanket. He draped it over her, "It will be warm in just a moment," he promised. Breandan left to move around the house, turning up baseboard heaters in the kitchen and then running lightly up the stairs to turn up the heater in the upstairs bedroom as well. Returning, he found Sookie had dropped her shoes and drawn her knees up so she was completely under the blanket, her extremities pulled close to her body, but her lips were still pale.

Breandan leaned down to open the flue on the central fire place and stacked a couple firelighters and then peat bricks on top of them. It didn't take long for the flame to start and the smell of peat to suffuse throughout the room. "That's pretty," Sookie sighed.

"Come," Breandan went to her chair and, lifting her, situated himself with her across his lap and the blanket covering them both. "Better?" he asked.

"You're warm," Sookie agreed, cuddling into him.

"You're not!" Breandan protested and shifted her again until they were both comfortable. The fire wasn't large, but it made the room cozy as the light faded.

Sookie felt her eyes drooping. "Did I do the right thing?" she asked.

"No," Breandan answered, but she was too tired to question him and, later, she thought that maybe she'd just dreamed it.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Light was falling across her face, calling her to open her eyes. Sookie stretched and realized she was naked and between sheets. As soon as she moved, Breandan reached out and pulled her against him, her back snuggled into his chest. He kissed her hair, "You're up, then?"

"What time is it?" Sookie yawned.

"Almost nine in the morning. The sun's been up over an hour," Breandan whispered in her ear.

Sookie stretched, then rolled over, so she could face him. "Have you been up long?" she asked.

"Since before the sun rose," he told her. "It's being home. I feel too alive here to sleep for long."

Sookie's stomach grumbled and she laughed, "Maybe I should get up and feed us." Breandan didn't stop her when she pulled away. She looked around. They were lying on what was probably a full-sized bed, but it had a canopy and Sookie almost sighed. The bedspread was fluffy and white and the walls were white, too. Breandan rose and opened a door on a part of the unit that covered the whole wall. There were clothes hanging in two rows and he retrieved her robe and handed it to her.

"There's a bathroom next door," he told her. "I'll see you downstairs and I can give you the tour, such as it is."

The bathroom wasn't big, but it had a tub with a shower. There was a skylight above and a fan for exhaust. The sink had some storage under it, but most things seemed to be in the tall, thin, open cabinet, including the towels. All the fixtures were white and the tile floor was cold under Sookie's feet. She took care of her human needs and used her toothbrush, which Breandan had unpacked and placed in the holder next to his.

' _I'm living with him_.' She'd said yes. She'd come halfway around the world with him, but seeing their toothbrushes side by side in a place that was just their own made it real for the first time. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, looking for some change, but she looked the same.

"Sookie?" he was calling from downstairs.

"Coming!" she called, wiping the errant tear that had appeared from nowhere to fall over her cheek and she knew as she walked down the steep wooden stairs that her next life had begun.

"Okay?" Breandan asked. It was like yesterday. His hair was loose and he was revealed to her. She could see his slight glow and the way his hair lifted a little as though there was a breeze coming from somewhere.

"I'm fine," Sookie answered, "Better than fine!" and she slipped off her masque, too. "Now, where's that kitchen? I'm starved!"

Breandan made a point of showing her the small room on the first floor that was made into an office complete with a laptop and television and the half-bath beside it. They walked back past the stairs and into the living room Sookie remembered from yesterday. The wool blanket was folded across the back of the chair and Sookie glanced around the room. It wasn't large. There was a small couch that was more of a loveseat and two matching leather chairs. Along one wall were built-in bookshelves loaded with books and Breandan's fiddle was in its case on the table next to the fireplace. Sookie realized she'd just walked from one end of the house to the other and she was charmed. "I love it!" she told him.

"It's a bit old-fashioned," Breandan acknowledged, "but I never saw the need for more. And back here," he motioned toward a doorway, "is the kitchen." The room was windowless on three sides, but above there was another skylight and the side wall was glass, allowing entry into the sunroom she'd seen from the beach yesterday. There was a small table and a couple chairs inside, but the sunroom held the larger table with six chairs. The kitchen itself was pleasantly modern, black appliances fitting in nicely with white cabinets and stone counters. Breandan opened a door that hid a pantry, and then another that held a washer/dryer unit. "All the amenities," he shrugged.

"Too bad the larger table is out there," Sookie glanced at the sunroom. "It will make eating with Amelia and Sean pretty cozy." When Breandan looked confused, Sookie explained, "It's December and that's glass. The floor looks like stone. I'm sure it's freezing."

"We'll see," Breandan laughed and opened the door, pulling Sookie after him. The room was a little chillier than the kitchen, but the floor was warm under her feet. "It's heated," he explained. "The warm rock keeps the room comfortable year-round. It lets you enjoy the ocean, no matter the weather."

"Did you build this place?" Sookie asked, her eyes shining.

"No, it was my Mother's," and Breandan looked around. "It's been mine for a very long time and as technology has improved, I've introduced changes."

"Like heated floors and running water?" Sookie asked.

"And electricity and gas stoves, yes," Breandan agreed.

"I think someone else is hungry, too," Sookie laid her hand alongside Breandan's handsome face and he kissed her palm.

"It's true!" he told her, nipping her palm before releasing her. "And I've got to drive into Slievemore soon to see my Father."

"He won't be happy about me, will he?" Sookie asked.

"It's not what you think," Breandan replied. "He is happy you're here," he continued, telling truths that he knew sounded like something else to Sookie. "He's been hoping someone like you would show up for some time."

"Like me?" Sookie asked. "You mean…"

"I'm sure Mae has already told him how attached we are," Breandan supplied.

"You think she went to your Father last night?" Sookie was beginning to feel worried, although she wasn't sure why.

"He sent her, after all, doubtless to get a critical opinion of what this is about," and Breandan motioned to the two of them. He could see that his answer satisfied Sookie because she pulled up on tiptoe to kiss him before heading into the kitchen to see what food was available. Breandan watched her, opening the refrigerator and pulling open cabinets. His chest hurt. She was humming, pulling out eggs, and she flashed him her sweet smile.

"I should get dressed," he told her as he walked past, anxious to escape upstairs. ' _I am Fae,_ ' he chided himself, standing under the water in the shower. ' _I live in the moment and this is no different_ ,' but he thought of his simple happiness in Boston and the sneering disapproval Mae showed Sookie and he felt the pain in his chest tighten, then bloom.

She'd made him French Toast. She'd used cinnamon in the batter and since there was no syrup, they scraped butter across the slices. An uneasy tension fell across them and when they were finished, Breandan glanced at the clock on the wall, "I should get going. There was fog last night and it may have made the roads icy."

"We have a car?" Sookie asked.

"Yes," Breandan answered, taking his plate and cup to the sink. "In the shed out back. I keep it here for when I visit. There's bicycles, too, but I wouldn't recommend using them this time of year." He turned to her, "You'll be all right here by yourself? I'll be back before dinner."

"I'll be fine," Sookie assured him. "There's the beach and all these books. I'll probably take a nap."

Breandan noticed her kiss wasn't so giving this time and her smile held a trace of sadness. He realized it had been over twenty-four hours since he'd had her and it surprised him. Coupling was like eating for him and the thought that they'd come here and not made love once was troubling. ' _Not love_ ,' he corrected himself. ' _I haven't fucked her_ ,' but even he thought, the words sounded wrong.

"Good grief!" Sookie exclaimed. She was standing beside the sink, looking around.

"What is it?" Breandan asked, happy for the distraction.

"No dish soap!" she told him. "I don't suppose there's a store nearby?"

"You can see it from here," Breandan told her. "If you stand on the beach, you'll see the town at the far end, but there's no need." He turned to the sink and turned on the faucet, then smirked as he made the dishes rinse and clean themselves.

Sookie stood beside him, open-mouthed, as counters cleared and pans became shiny, the whole kitchen obeying his wish. "Wow," she huffed, "That's all a little Disney for me!" Then her eyes narrowed, "Is that what you were doing all along? Using your…" 

"Magic," Breandan supplied. "Of course! What good is being Fae if you don't use your gifts."

"And your gifts are housecleaning?" Sookie's eyes tilted and her lip curled. "Damn! I'm keeping you forever!" and the easy happiness between them was restored.

Still, as Sookie watched Breandan drive away, she felt the heaviness that was her Mother's passing settle back in place. Sighing, she tried to distract herself by doing a more thorough exploration of the cottage. It was simple, but beautiful at the same time. There was a second bedroom across the narrow hall from their own bedroom upstairs. It held the same built-in wall unit for clothing, and Sookie wondered if even something that large would be able to accommodate all of Amelia's clothes. There were built-in cabinets downstairs, too, that Sookie hadn't noticed and she spent the next hour slowly opening doors and searching drawers, learning the cottage's secrets.

All too soon, though, it was nearing lunch and Sookie found herself at loose ends. Suddenly the cottage seemed too small and her memories too close. "Wonder how far town is," Sookie said to the empty house.

Her shoes were almost dry. She had a pair of heels and a couple pairs of flats, but only her sneakers were halfway reasonable for the walk to town. She figured she'd stick to the beach. She'd noticed the cluster of buildings in the distance yesterday and she estimated it was a mile or more from the cottage. The beach was wide and it looked firm. There was no snow on the ground and the sun was bright, even if it looked a little windy. "I'll be fine," she told herself and she ran upstairs to get dressed.

Sookie found a closely knit wool sweater in the wardrobe and she wore it under her own winter coat. She found a flat brimmed wool hat to pull over her hair and soon she was marching down the beach. She noticed the seagulls and praised her foresight in bringing mittens for her hands. The tide was going out and from time to time, Sookie had to jump over small rivers of water running from the land to the sea. She'd glance up at regular intervals, using her slow, but noticeable progress, toward the cluster of buildings to keep her moving forward.

Before they'd left Boston, Sookie had insisted on changing some dollars to Euros. Breandan had laughed at her, telling her there would be plenty of time to handle that once they arrived, but now Sookie was happy she'd thought of it. It took over an hour before Sookie was climbing the concrete stairs to the road and buildings above. The buildings right along the road looked as if they were for the tourist trade. They were boarded up but, Sookie figured during the summer, the beach would be a big draw.

She crossed the street, noticing a couple offices and the bank. She didn't see a market, but there was a gas station and the building seemed to have groceries. There weren't any other customers, and Sookie quickly moved up and down the aisles, finding dish soap and a sponge. When she went to the counter, she said, "Hi," to the woman standing by the register.

"And a good day to you," the woman answered. "American?"

"I guess it shows," Sookie nodded.

"Strange time of year to be sight-seeing," the woman replied, openly curious.

"I'm not," Sookie answered. "I just moved here. Yesterday, as a matter of fact."

"Here?" the woman asked, "In Killary?"

"Well, down the beach," and Sookie glanced out the front windows in the direction she'd come.

"What? You're living at the farm, then? I hadn't heard Brady was hiring and not this time of year." The woman's face was starting to look a little less welcoming.

"It's not a farm," Sookie stammered, "more a cottage."

"O'Hara is back?" It was a man who walked in the front door. He apparently worked here, too, because he walked behind the counter to join the woman.

"Breandan O'Hara," Sookie nodded. "Yes."

"So, that's his name this time," the man told the woman.

The woman's expression had changed. She looked sympathetic, which was puzzling, "And you walked all this way? I take it he's gone."

"He went into Slievemore," Sookie told them, but their reactions seemed odd. "Look, I just walked over here to buy some soap. We arrived yesterday, like I said, but we were missing some things," and she pushed the dish soap forward a little.

"Of course," the woman was business again, but she turned to the man and said, "Why don't you pour this young woman a nice cup of hot tea?" She turned to Sookie and said, "Ned would be happy to run you back. No need to walk all that way in this wind."

"That's real nice of you," Sookie stammered. There was something strange about how they were looking at her. It was as if they were anxious to be nice to her, but feeling sorry for her all at the same time. "I'm just as happy walking. It's great exercise and it isn't that far."

"It's farther than it looks," Ned told her. "Won't take a moment to get the car."

"I'm fine!" Sookie told them. She was sure she sounded rude, but she suddenly wanted to get away from here.

"At least take your tea," the woman told her. "And if you've a mind, you might tell the O'Hara of our kindness to you."

Sookie thought about the couple's reaction for a long time as she trudged back over the wet sand. The surface was firm, but still, it took extra energy and as she walked, her feet became colder and colder. Her sneakers were soaked through and the cotton socks she'd worn were wet against her feet. When she was halfway back, a quick rain shower blew over her. Sookie's coat managed to shed the water for a bit, but soon it became heavy. The sweater she'd pulled on was wet, too, but at least it stayed warm.

By the time Sookie stood in front of the cottage door, she was shivering even worse than yesterday. Her nose was running and her fingers shook so much, she dropped the keys. She stood in the small entry way and stripped off her wet clothes. She was making puddles on the polished wood floor. She picked up her things and ran them through to the kitchen, dumping them on the tile, then grabbed the wool blanket as she ran back through the house and made her way upstairs to the bathroom. She turned on the shower, tears running down her face as she waited for the water to warm up, then cried harder when she had to take more time to adjust the heat so it wouldn't burn her chilled body.

Standing under the shower felt so good, Sookie plugged the tub and just stood there, letting the water slowly fill, covering her feet as she stood under the spray. That's when she noticed the pain. Turning the water from shower to tub, she sat down so she could look at her feet. The cotton socks and sneakers had rubbed raw patches at the backs of her heels and over several toes, but she'd been so cold she hadn't noticed. "Shit!" Sookie exclaimed and as her feet warmed and the sting increased, she swore again.

There weren't any first aid supplies in the bathroom and Sookie suspected that, like the dish soap downstairs, Breandan simply didn't need them. Fortunately, Sookie had some band aids in her cosmetics case and she did her best to cover the worst of the raw patches. She hobbled back into the bedroom and opened the wardrobe doors and drawers, finding where Breandan had stored her clothes. "Probably another Disney display," she grumbled, pulling out sweat pants and a fleece pullover. She glanced at her socks, and then looked through Breandan's, finding a thick pair she could roll over until they fit. There were still tender places that rubbed, but the warmth was worth it and as she smoothed them in place, Sookie felt her grief overwhelm her again. She remembered her Mom's face and she thought about being here, so far from everything she knew. "It doesn't matter," she said out loud, "There's nothing left there," and Sookie finally allowed herself to mourn.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"It's unacceptable," Rogan's eyes narrowed.

"To whom?" Breandan snapped back.

"You are fighting me because you've become infatuated with her!" the King accused. Preston Pardloe was standing nearby and he didn't bother hiding his interest. Breandan couldn't help but notice Pardloe's curled lip. He opened his mouth to protest, but Rogan cut him off, "Don't bother to dispute it! Mae's account was compelling. You have her secreted out there in your Mother's favorite home. You have only taken Claude there before and that was when you loved him. She fought Mae for you and I have no doubt that drew you in, but she is a hybrid and my prisoner. You will not deny me access to her!"

"Did Mae tell you why Sookie decided to fight?" Breandan asked. "Sending my wife could have cost you everything!"

"Me, son? I'm sure you meant to say, 'us,'" and Rogan looked triumphant to have caught Breandan out.

"Of course," Breandan conceded, then reasserted his argument, "It is only another month. She's here, on Irish soil. The cottage is, as you say, a comforting place. Her friends will arrive and she will be happy showing them her new home. Surely you see the ties that kind of thing can create."

"I want you to come back to work starting tomorrow," Rogan demanded.

"Next week," Breandan countered. "There are things she needs. It will allow me to acclimatize her."

"I will meet her tomorrow night," Rogan said and it wasn't a request. "I want you to bring her here."

"Come to the cottage," Breandan offered, "She will cook for you."

Preston hissed and Rogan's attention shifted. "Get out!" he snapped and Breandan smiled, seeing his Father wasting his wrath on someone other than him. When the door closed, Rogan turned back to his son, "Why do you think I would welcome the idea of taking food from her? Do you think to soften my heart the way yours has so obviously been corrupted?"

"I think that she is your guest, Father and as such, she should become accustomed to serving you." It was a good answer and Rogan's eyes became less hard.

"I suppose," Rogan agreed. "She will feed me and take care of any other needs I have." Breandan didn't realize how closely his Father was watching him, but he knew the statement had been a trap when Rogan continued, "You think I would touch her? I know what I am and I will always remember exactly what she is! I wouldn't soil one tip of my finger on that!"

"And yet you sent me to do it," Breandan said bitterly. "'Cover your mare.' Weren't those your words?"

"You are my son," Rogan shrugged. "It is your duty to serve me, no matter how distasteful the task, but I don't hear you telling me how hard it's been, how you've struggled to perform."

"I can't lie to you, Father," Breandan conceded.

"I am not unsympathetic," Rogan softened his voice. "I miscalculated in sending Mae. I thought seeing her would be welcome after spending so much time with the hybrid. I didn't realize how far apart you've drifted."

"We were never more than fond of each other," Breandan told his Father. "Our failure destroyed even that."

Rogan nodded, "I, too, was disappointed you were not able to produce children. A sad blow to us all." Breandan's jaw tightened, knowing his Father's words were motivated by pride, rather than any true concern for his son. "I'll tell you what I'll do. I will make certain that Mae minds her manners and you can watch her dance court on the hybrid. That will be her punishment."

"I'm not sure Sookie will welcome that," Breandan shook his head.

"That will be Mae's problem." Rogan stood up, "You will return to work next week. I will come for dinner and I expect to be welcome any time I choose to visit. Once her human friends leave, you will move her to the hotel here in Slievemore and I will free you from your assignment."

Breandan found he couldn't speak. He stood and bowed his head. As Rogan was leaving, he turned, "Don't think I don't appreciate what you've done. She's here and she's clearly attached to you. You are making my revenge possible and I am grateful."

Once those words would have filled Breandan with pride. Now, they just made him cold.

xxxXXXxxx

Sookie was sitting on the couch, the blanket pulled over her. He could see the book in her hand as he walked into the living room. It was dark. The visit with Rogan had dragged on longer than he'd expected and he worried that she'd be angry with him, but she wasn't. "I'm sorry," he told her.

"No need," Sookie shrugged. "It was nice out here. Quiet."

"I didn't mean for you to spend your first day alone," Breandan continued to apologize. "Perhaps I can make it up to you."

"You're worrying over nothing," Sookie assured him. "I found some lamb chops in the freezer. There were potatoes and some old parsley, but they smell good. I pulled together some wilted greens to go with them. Why not go upstairs and clean up and I'll heat the skillet?"

Sookie was getting up, but there was something about how she was moving that made Breandan hesitate. "Are you feeling all right?" he asked her.

"I'm okay," Sookie replied, but when she started to walk she winced.

"Why are you lying to me?" Breandan hissed. He was on her in an instant and picked her up, depositing her back on the couch. "What happened?" he demanded.

Sookie rolled her eyes, "I walked into town," she sighed. "It was farther than I thought. I must be out of shape because I'm a little sore now."

"That doesn't explain why you're limping," Breandan pressed, holding her in place.

"My feet," and Sookie rolled her eyes. Breandan raised one of her feet and rolled the sock from it. Sookie's foot jerked away and she drew in her breath through clenched teeth. The fiddler could see the patched of raw, angry skin and the places where blisters had popped, leaving open sores.

"How…" he asked, but he didn't wait for her explanation. He ran his hands over her feet, healing them, and Sookie let out her breath as the pain receded and then disappeared. Breandan took her other foot and repeated the process. When he finished, he looked into her watery eyes, "Better?"

"How was your Father?" she asked instead.

"Rogan is always the same," Breandan replied, preferring to look at her feet than meet her eyes. "He has agreed that I can hold off on reporting to work until next week and I know the first thing we are doing tomorrow."

"What's that?" Sookie asked. She was leaning forward, her fingers smoothing back his hair.

"We are going to find you a pair of decent boots," Breandan told her, lifting her foot so high she fell backward. His fingers slipped over her instep and Sookie yelped. "You're ticklish?" Breandan said delightedly and he attacked her feet. Sookie kicked and bucked to get away from him and she fell off the couch and onto the floor, scrambling to crawl away from him. Breandan captured her and she turned on him, intent on inflicting her own wounds in this tickle war, but her mouth was so close to his and she kissed him instead, taking, demanding, pushing him backward, and reaching to unfasten his pants.

Fingers flew and they jousted for position, but it was Sookie who won, sinking down on him as he lay on the floor beneath her. Breandan held her lips apart so he could watch himself enter her. "Yes!" she hissed, her head thrown back. Her nipples were hard and her chest was pushed forward. She looked like a pagan goddess and Breandan couldn't remember anything so provocative.

"How will I ever let you go?" he asked as she rose over him, only to fall again, leaning so he dragged across that place within her that made her hiss and squirm.

Sookie didn't answer, but she looked down at him with wide eyes and Breandan couldn't stand it. "Mine!" he roared and he sat up, reversing their positions. He grabbed a cushion from the couch and pushed it under her hips before grabbing her wrists and pulling them over her head. "Mine!" he said it again. He moved over her, increasing his speed, pushing her, adding fingers to cock to stimulate her more. He meant to make his mark on her, but as he felt his completion take him, he realized he didn't own her. Rather, it was the other way around.

As he lay across her, his breath returning to its normal rhythm, he closed his eyes. Her fingers stroked his back, nails running lightly from buttock to shoulder and back again. They were drunk on each other and Breandan never wanted to be sober again.


	14. Chapter 13 - Eyes Wide Shut

**Chapter 13 – Eyes Wide Shut**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Breandan lit a fire while Sookie pulled the cushions off the small couch so they could lay on the floor. There was really no need for a fire, but the light of the flames emphasized the reconnection they felt. "Hungry?" Sookie asked. She walked through to the kitchen, turning on the lights. She glanced at her reflection in the sunroom glass, wondering if she was giving her new neighbors a peep show.

"We're all alone out here," Breandan came up behind her, pulling her against him and burying his nose in the place where her neck met her shoulder. "No one to see me devour you," he whispered.

"Well, good!" Sookie giggled. "Then we know what we're having for dessert."

Naked cooking turned out to be more fun than either of them expected. There was touching and tickling to interrupt searing and plating. Breandan carried the dishes back into the living room and they sat on the floor, using the small coffee table to hold their food. They soon discovered that food fed from the other's plate was more interesting and that food taken from body parts was most interesting of all.

"Do you ever intend to sleep?" Sookie asked many hours later, Breandan kissing his way back up her body, his length stiffening against her.

"I'm making up for lost time," he teased, nipping her inner thigh. "There was that long flight and that longer ride here. And now my Father will be here for dinner tomorrow night, or perhaps I should say tonight…"

"What are you talking about?" and Sookie sat up, tumbling Breandan off her. He laid on his back and his mouth fell open.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I meant to tell you earlier. My Father, Rogan, he is coming here for dinner."

"He invited himself?" Sookie was starting to get up, but Breandan was reluctant to let her go. He grabbed at her hand and when she shook him off, he grabbed at her ankle.

"No," and Breandan smirked, "I invited him."

"You what!" Sookie squeaked and that was it. She jumped up and started grabbing her clothes. It made no sense. Rogan would have to eat at their table. He would owe Sookie a favor in exchange, and then Mae's words came back to Breandan. Sookie didn't understand. She knew almost nothing of their world and he realized it was time to correct some part of that.

"This is a good thing," Breandan held out his arms, trying to block her heading to the staircase. "You don't understand!"

"I'll tell you what I understand!" Sookie spun around, her lip jutting out and her eyes snapping. "You decided to invite your Father, whom I've never met and whom you tell me pretty much hates my guts, to dinner, a dinner that apparently, you expect me to cook. I'm in a strange house. I still don't know where everything is and I don't have any of my cookbooks. Oh, and you expect me to do it in what? Twelve hours?"

Breandan glanced at the clock on the bookcase, "He won't be here until six tonight," he told the bristling woman in front of him. "There is plenty…"

"Of what? Time for me to pull some special dinner out of my ass? And how are you helping? By keeping me up all night so I look like shit later! Fuck!" and Sookie stamped her foot and then punched Breandan in the arm. Her reaction was so unexpected, Breandan took a step back.

"You don't understand!" Breandan repeated. He darted forward to grab Sookie's upper arms. He thought to hold her in place, so he could explain, but she was having none of it.

She twisted in his arms and her face grew angry, "You better take your hands off me this minute, Breandan O'Hara, or you're going to wish you did!"

It occurred to Breandan that Sookie was facing him and his vulnerable parts were only a kneejerk away, so he released her arms, bowed his head a little, and stepped back, saying, "Just give me one minute, please! You know we are Fae. Rogan's coming here and agreeing to eat your food is a very good thing!" He cocked his head, meeting Sookie's eyes, and gestured toward the leather chair, "Please, Sookie."

Sookie's hands fisted, but she sat down on the leather chair, then bounced back up, putting her pants between her and the cold seat. She pulled her shirt over her head and wrapped her arms around her. "Well?" she challenged.

Breandan advanced toward her. He kept his movements slow and he lowered himself to his knees so she wouldn't have to look up to him. "It's an old tradition," he told her. "It started long ago, even before the Christians hunted us. Humans would leave us food, offerings. In exchange, we would give them favors. You see?" and Breandan waited.

"Like in the fairy tales?" Sookie asked.

"Yes," Breandan nodded. "Many of those stories have their roots in truth. If Rogan accepts food from your hands and eats it, he will owe you a wish." Breandan thought of the wish he had once wanted Sookie to ask and he felt his heart clench, knowing it could never be. Instead, he continued, "You can make the wish at that time or you can remain silent, tucking the wish away for a rainy day. You don't need to say it. Rogan will know."

"What about if he gives me food?" Sookie asked.

"It would be best not to eat anything from his hand. You are remarkably resistant to our glamour," and when Sookie's eyebrows drew together, Breandan explained, "a Fae's ability to influence. Still, Rogan is our King and his power is greater than others."

"King?" Sookie latched onto that word. "And that would make you?"

"His son," Breandan shrugged.

"You have brothers or sisters?" Sookie asked. It seemed a funny time to be learning things that seemed so basic and Sookie remembered her Aunt Linda's words. At the end of the day, she really didn't know a lot about Breandan O'Hara.

"No," Breandan was telling her. "Just me."

"I guess I understand why your Dad might not be too happy about me," Sookie said to her clasped hands. "Bet he really wants you married to some Fae woman, right?"

Breandan laid his hand over hers. When she looked at him, he answered truthfully, "Yes."

"So, he figures I'm in the way?" Sookie asked.

"He doesn't see you that way," Breandan told her and that was the truth, too. "He wishes to meet you and he intends to offer you a place here."

"Just not with you," Sookie said quietly.

"Perhaps you will change his mind," Breandan answered. Sookie shivered and Breandan leaned forward, drawing her to him. She came readily this time and soon, Breandan was sitting in the chair with Sookie in his lap. "You are not without your own powers," he told her. "Remember, you are not wholly human. You are attractive to us." When Sookie snorted, Breandan said, "I expressed that poorly. It's not a physical thing, Sookie. There is some part of your make-up, that part of you that is Fae, that calls to us. Father will notice it. It will work to your advantage."

"Can I wish for him to be okay with us being together?" Sookie asked.

"No," Breandan shook his head. "No, wishes don't work that way. You can't wish for a Fae to change what they are. You can only ask for their help where your goals align. Father might help you improve a business deal or get a better potato crop." When Sookie laughed, Breandan added, "Anything to do with nature is something we do well. We are aligned with living things here. He can help you with money, but he can't change your fate or deliver you from a place you don't wish to be."

"Do people here know what you are?" Sookie asked, thinking of the couple in the store yesterday.

"Most people don't believe we exist," Breandan shrugged. "They are too busy watching their televisions and driving their cars. They don't pay attention to what's around them. I blame cell phones!" and he laughed and Sookie laughed with him. When they grew quiet, he said, "Still, there's some who hold onto the old ways. They'd never ask, of course, since that would risk our wrath. And us? We'd never tell them and neither can you. The reason all of this works is because we keep our ways and our gifts among us. If humans were to know about us, it would be terrible. They are a greedy lot, almost as greedy as us, and soon they'd be trying to capture us and force us to dance to their tune."

"What would happen?" Sookie asked.

"We'd have to destroy them," Breandan told her, "and in the end, they'd destroy us instead."

"I'm sorry for you," Sookie sighed and laid her head on Breandan's shoulder, her hand finding its place against his smooth chest.

"It's the price of being different," Breandan sighed, knowing full well that these words would resonate with this woman. He felt it again, the tightening in his chest. It seemed constant at times and he wondered what it meant. He knew it wasn't an illness. The Fae were never ill. Still, when Sookie snuggled against him, whispering her love, he almost winced at the sharpness of it.

It was agreed that Breandan would go out in the morning in search of supplies. Sookie went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, and then pulled open the drawers and baskets in the pantry. "Chicken," she announced, pulling a bird from the freezer and sliding it into the refrigerator. "Roasted potatoes and salad." She pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and started writing. "And I'm making him my Mom's pound cake," Sookie nodded. "It's the only one I can remember without a recipe and it's wonderful!"

Once the list was finished, Sookie thrust it at Breandan, "You'd better put that in a safe place!" she told him, "and now, we're going to bed!"

"To play?" Breandan asked hopefully.

"To sleep!" Sookie scolded him, but he could see she wasn't as angry as she'd been earlier.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"I'll have to go into Slievemore for some of this," Breandan told her in the morning as he looked at the list.

"Well, you have no one to blame but yourself!" Sookie shrugged. "Next time, give a girl a little warning!"

"You could send me on my way with a smile," Breandan added, pushing Sookie against the wall and letting her know what kind of smile he meant.

"You should be practically beaming after what you got last night!" Sookie laughed. "But, I'll tell you what. You get back before three and I'll give you dessert early."

"I want it in the kitchen," Breandan purred. "I want you leaning over with your hands on the sink so I can use my fingers and my tongue on you. I want to see every drop of honey you give me, Sookie, and you can expect me to demand seconds," and he leaned in, capturing her mouth, plundering, giving no quarter.

He kissed her until she was panting, and then Breandan stepped back so suddenly, Sookie stumbled. He smirked, knowing what he'd done to her and he grabbed her hand, laying it against him so she would know he felt the same before he swung out the door.

"Bastard!" Sookie laughed, then rubbed her hands over her aching breasts, caressing them before taking a deep breath. "Okay," she announced to the empty hall, "Let's go see what we've got!" and she headed to the kitchen.

Sookie walked into the pantry first, pulling out the potatoes she intended to use tonight. There were some dried herbs and she pulled out thyme, salt and pepper. She opened another basket on the floor to find onions and she pulled out a couple of those, too.

Next, she walked to the refrigerator. There were greens, a cucumber, and one, lonely tomato in the bin. It started to occur to her that living on an island, even in a temperate zone, would mean that fresh produce in winter would be scarce. "Glad I picked pound cake," Sookie mumbled out loud.

There was something about the bird defrosting on the shelf, and Sookie pulled it out. It didn't look like any chicken she'd ever seen, and suddenly she realized what she was looking at. "Shit! Shit!" It was a goose. Sookie had never cooked one before, but she remembered stories of women doing it wrong and the bird coming out tough and greasy. She looked around the kitchen again, confirming what she already knew. No cookbooks. There were none in the living room either. She'd checked.

"Stop panicking! Think!" Sookie scolded herself and ran to her purse to pull out her cell phone. She thumbed in her password, then looked at the static screen. There were no bars. Apparently, she was in a dead zone. She checked her setting, changed to roaming regardless of the cost, but with the same result. "Shit!" she swore again. She couldn't search for recipes. She couldn't call Breandan. "How did I not notice this?" she asked the reflection in the hall mirror, and then she knew. She didn't have anyone left to call.

It knocked the wind from her. "I'm alone," she told herself, "except for Breandan, I don't have anyone else here." She started to hyperventilate and she abruptly sat down on the floor to keep herself from falling. "What were you thinking?" she put it out there. "Aunt Linda told you…" but then Sookie got ahold of herself. All her life she had to be the grown up. She had walked into a hundred new places and met hundreds of new faces. "Think!" she scolded herself.

"Get up!" she ordered and she stood on firmer legs. She looked at her sneakers and thought about the long walk into town along the beach. "You know there's a road that goes there," she reasoned with herself. "There's only one road to the house and it has to go back to the town road. It can't be far and it'll be easier than trudging through the sand."

Sookie made herself put on her sneakers. She wore a heavier wool sock this time, figuring it would help protect her feet a little better. "Good thing Breandan healed you up," Sookie cheered herself, "See, you were meant to do this!" She knew she was being silly, talking to herself, rallying her more timid self into doing what needed to be done, but it was a technique she'd learned over the course of her life. It was how she managed to overcome her nervousness and get through the things that needed to be done.

She reached for her coat, swallowed down her misgivings, and opened the front door to find a strange woman standing there with her hand upraised. "Oh, my God!" Sookie yelled and jumped back into the house.

"Oh, Christ!" the woman said at the same time, holding her hand over her heart. After a moment, the woman said, "I'm sorry, but you scared the Bejeezus out of me!"

"I guess!" Sookie exhaled, then held out her hand, "I'm Sookie Stackhouse."

"I'm Paula Brady," the woman replied. "I'm your neighbor up the road. We're the farm that drops off food for the place. I just stopped by to see if you needed anything."

"Brady…" and Sookie remembered the people at the store in town mentioning the name in connection with a farm. "Well, thank you," Sookie said, at a loss for words.

"You're American," Paula cocked her head and her expression dropped.

"Yes," Sookie answered, "Why do you do that?"

"What?" Paula asked her.

"The people at the store in Killary did the same thing. They looked at me as if I was some victim," and Sookie realized she was being rude. "Again, I apologize for catching you off guard. Why don't you step in. Maybe you can save me." Sookie laughed, but there was something in Paula's face. "What I mean is I could use some help. I've got to cook a dinner tonight and I thought the bird in the freezer was a chicken, but…"

"That would be the goose for Christmas," Paula nodded.

"Exactly!" Sookie answered, "But Breandan's Father is coming for dinner tonight and I thought it was a chicken. Now, Breandan is running around looking for sour cream and lemons, and I have no cell service to ask him to pick up a chicken." Sookie was walking toward the kitchen, and Paula was following slowly behind her.

When Sookie got to the kitchen, she turned around to find Paula still in the living room, her eyes taking everything in. "You've never been inside?" Sookie asked.

"Oh, goodness, no!" Paula told her. "I expect my Tom won't be happy to hear I've been gallivanting about, either."

Sookie pointed at the goose, "Can you help?" she asked.

Paula seemed to come to herself and her face settled, "Well, of course I can! I have a fresh chicken all ready and it's just up the road. I'll give Tom a call and he'll run it right down. Is there anything else you'd be needing?"

Sookie described the menu and the cake she was making for dessert. "I'm pretty nervous," she confided to Paula. "I know Breandan's Father thinks I'm a little nobody from nowhere, but Breandan seems to think feeding him will make a difference."

"Feeding himself sweets is a good bet," Paula said as if she knew something. "I have some strawberry sauce you can put over the cake. It's too sweet for me, but I'll be willing to bet your intended's Father loves it!"

"Breandan isn't my intended," Sookie swallowed, squaring her shoulders. "We haven't known each other all that long. We met in Boston and when my Mother…" and Sookie's voice caught. She turned away, steeling herself not to show too much emotion to this stranger. When she was under control, Sookie turned back, "When my Mother passed, I came here with Breandan."

"So, he captured you?" and Paula's face had that sad look again.

"My heart?" Sookie volunteered. "Yes, I guess he did!"

Paula pulled out her phone pushed the buttons. She waited for someone to pick up and she had a quick conversation. "Why don't we wait outside?" she suggested, "Tom will be here in a jiff."

Sookie didn't think much about it, but afterwards she wondered if Paula had been serious about not wanting her husband to know she'd been inside the cottage.

Tom Brady was a short, thick man. His shoulders seemed as broad as he was tall and his nose and cheeks were red. He tipped his hat to Sookie, but refused to take her hand, instead handing over some bags. "Happy to be of service to you," he told her, then turning to Paula, said, "We should be headed home, then."

"We're right down the road," Paula told Sookie. "Walk down the lane and you'll see our gate to the left. I'm around most days." Tom didn't say anything, but he didn't look happy.

"Thanks again," Sookie told them both, opening her wallet, but they refused her money.

"Just tell the O'Hara we were happy to help," Tom Brady told her. He gestured Paula toward her car and he stalked to the utility vehicle he'd driven down the lane.

"Hope the dinner goes well for you," Paula said kindly and then she was in her car, turning around in the area in front of the garage shed.

Sookie headed in and started arranging things. She pulled out the flour and eggs she'd seen earlier, wondering if the eggs came from the Bradys, too. All too soon, she was out of things she could do and still the hours dragged. Sookie checked her cell, then remembered the laptop in the office at the other end of the house. She checked, only to find it was password protected. Even the shows on television seemed designed to remind her she was in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to do but wait.

It was just past noon and cold outside, but sunny. Reluctantly, Sookie pulled on her sneakers and headed back to the beach. ' _I won't go far_ ,' she promised herself. In no time, she was so intent on finding sea glass and small shells she didn't notice the hour fly by or the bobbing heads of the seals who remained just outside the wave line, watching her.

"I'm back!" It was Breandan, standing on the small bluff next to the house and Sookie found herself running to meet him, her hands full of small treasures.

"Success?" she asked, almost missing his kiss in her hurry to get inside and get started.

A couple of the fresh herbs he brought had seen better days, but the lemons were perfect. Sookie moved with purpose, mixing first dry ingredients and then wet, folding and flavoring, the oven heating as she worked. When the sensor indicated the oven was ready, Sookie slid the cake onto the middle shelf. Breandan was hovering, so Sookie handed him the mixing bowl. "I had a different thing in mind for my hands," Breandan told her, but Sookie laughed and asked him if he'd like to lick the bowl instead.

Potatoes would have to wait, but she added the pepper and carrots Breandan had found to the salad. She sniffed and then tasted the dressing he'd found. Red raspberry and poppy seed. It was sweet and Sookie remembered Paula's certainty that sweet was the way to gain Rogan's approval.

Sookie glanced at the clock again. The cake would come out just in time for the chicken to start baking. She took a deep breath to steady herself. "He doesn't bite," Breandan assured her.

"We need to get my phone figured out," Sookie answered, wanting to steer the conversation away from tonight. "I have no service here. I tried to call you, but I couldn't." She told him of her earlier adventure and how the Bradys helped.

"Did you tell them anything?" Breandan asked.

"Like what?" Sookie asked. "Paula was really nice. She sent over some strawberry sauce for the cake, you know, for later. I'm going to take them a couple pieces in the morning as a thank you."

"It's not necessary," Breandan shrugged.

"Of course, it's necessary!" Sookie snorted. "I'm guessing you pay them for keeping the place stocked, but it's always necessary to repay a kindness." Sookie took the bowl from Breandan's hands and as she placed it in the sink, asked, "Is there some reason people here feel sorry for me?"

"What did the Bradys say to you?" Breandan asked.

Sookie wasn't looking at him, but there was something in his tone that made the hair on the back of Sookie's neck stand up. She'd never thought of Breandan as anything other than mostly human, even when he dropped his disguises, but now, she did. Her breath caught and she couldn't turn around to look at him, almost afraid of what she'd see.

"Nothing," she answered, wetting her lips. She threw her head back, pulled her smile back in place, and came up with a story. "It's just the way they look at me. Is it so wrong to be American? I know you think being Irish is all that, but do people here really think we're that pathetic?"

"We think all Americans are mad for work and don't have a clue how to live," Sookie's Breandan was back. He didn't look like the scary creature who said words that made her shiver.

' _I'm imagining things_ ,' she chided herself, but she was unsettled enough that she avoided his advances, pleading nerves about tonight. Before long, it was true. Minutes seemed to rush past. Sookie's hands flew, preparing vegetables, setting the table in the sunroom, then finding candles to add ambience. Breandan set wine glasses on the table and pulled two clear bottles of some clear wine from a closet in the cottage. When the cake finished cooling, Sookie dusted it with confectioner's sugar, then ran upstairs to dress. Although Breandan told her it would be informal, Sookie chose to wear a dress with stockings anyway. She pulled her hair back, wrapping it in a low bun gathered at the base of her neck.

"No," Breandan told her, stepping into the bathroom. "Leave your hair loose. It is better."

"I just don't want it getting into everything," Sookie scowled.

"Trust me," Breandan insisted, then reached up and pulled the pins out of her hair himself. His eyes were hard as he worked and Sookie remembered his voice earlier.

' _It's just nerves_ ,' she told herself, and then there was a knock at the door.

Breandan didn't wait for her before opening it and Sookie found herself navigating narrow steps and stepping around Breandan before she could offer her hand.

"Charles O'Hara," the tall man introduced himself. He didn't take her hand. Instead, he made a slight bow.

"Charles…?" and Sookie glanced at Breandan. He had told her his Father's name was Rogan. She caught Breandan's eye and he shook his head.

"Pleased to meet you!" Sookie replied and made her own more awkward bow.

Breandan's Father wasn't how she'd imagined him. Now that she could see under a Fae's disguise, it was distracting. Charles O'Hara looked as if he had a transparent mask in place over his real features. On the surface, Charles was a greying, distinguished businessman in an open-collared shirt and dress pants, but just underneath was a dark-haired man with sharp, flinty eyes. "So, you are Adele's child," he greeted her, leaning forward.

"I'm sorry?" Sookie answered, "My Mother's name was Michele." She remembered the birth certificate then and asked, "Maybe you mean my Grandmother?"

He was staring at her in that odd, unnerving way, one layer of blue, laughing eyes and just under it, the black eyes of a snake. "Adele was your Grandmother? How charming!" he nodded. "Yes, that must be it. And is Adele still living?"

He took hold of her wrist, but it wasn't like when Breandan touched her. This man's touch left her feeling cold. "No, Father," Breandan answered. "As I told you, Sookie has no living grandparents."

"Or parents," Sookie added, starting to feel bullied. It brought out the fighter in her and she resolved not to let Breandan's Father throw her. If he wanted to be unpleasant, she'd bury him in kindness! He wouldn't get the best of her! "Won't you come in?" she smiled broadly, then 'Breandan, why don't you take your Father's coat?" Turning, she led the way into the living room. Breandan had started a fire and there was a decanter of some dark liquid Sookie hadn't seen before and glasses on the side table.

"Dinner will be in about a half hour," she announced, then went to fetch the plate of cheeses and marinated vegetables she'd prepared. It looked pretty on the coffee table and Sookie felt a little more confident. Breandan was handing his Father a small dram glass of the dark liquid.

"Sookie?" he asked, tilting the decanter toward her.

"None for me," Sookie smiled pleasantly. "I'll have wine with dinner," then sat back to watch the two faces of the man sitting across from her slide over each other. Sookie opened their visit with her tried and true question, "How was your journey out here?"

Sookie relied on every lesson in manners she'd ever been taught. She asked Charles questions about himself, listening and following up. She laughed at his small jokes and pretended to not understand when he said something nasty or cutting. Her smile never faltered and by the time she brought the cake out with its lovely cut glass bowl filled with strawberry sauce, Charles was doing his part to be charming as well.

"I can understand Breandan's desire to keep you all to himself, Sookie," Charles purred as he lifted a second bite of the pound cake to his mouth. "You are a charming person!"

"I am comfortable here," Sookie replied, "May I pour you a second cup of tea?"

"No," Charles waved his hand. "Wine, though, and you. You should have another glass, I insist!"

The golden wine Breandan poured with dinner was unlike anything Sookie had tasted before. It had hints of honey and something else that seemed to go right to her head. Breandan dutifully poured, but his eyes looked worried. As the dinner progressed, Breandan seemed to say less and less and now, he was talking only when his Father asked him something directly.

When Sookie had taken a sip, Charles leaned forward a little, "I'm sure Breandan has told you he will return to work at the hotel next week. What he may not have mentioned is that he will be running the hotel in Slievemore. It is an important responsibility and will require a great deal of his time." He waited for Sookie to absorb this information. "There may be some travel required of him," Charles added, his eyes watching her, never blinking.

"I understand. It sounds like a wonderful opportunity," Sookie replied. ' _Careful!_ ' her inner voice told her.

"It's just that you so far away and with the hours he'll be required to work, well, it hardly seems fair that his few leisure hours should be spent driving," and Charles smiled as if the idea of her not seeing his son anymore didn't bother him in the least.

"What would you suggest?" and Sookie smiled her most winning smile.

"This really is wonderful cake," Charles deflected, looking as though he was debating things before saying, "I suppose the apartment at the hotel could be made available. It's not as romantic as this cottage, of course, but at least then Breandan wouldn't be required to risk his safety every night on these dark roads."

' _Don't do it!_ ' the voice was telling her and her words said, "That's a kind thought." She waited, and Charles waited, too. Finally, Sookie asked, "What would something like that require?"

"You need only ask and I would be happy to arrange it," Charles O'Hara couldn't hide the narrowing of his eyes. ' _It's a trap!_ ' Sookie thought. ' _He's trying to get you to waste your wish!_ '

"I really appreciate your offer," Sookie almost purred. "Of course, I want Breandan to be happy." She could see the way Charles leaned forward in anticipation. "Breandan and I will talk about it later," and she smiled demurely, making a point of flashing what she hoped was a dopey look toward Breandan.

She stood and the men rose, too. Sookie was pretty sure dinner was over, but she couldn't resist one last jab. "So, Charles, do you live around here? Breandan never said, but with Christmas right around the corner, maybe we could plan on getting together for holiday dinner?"

Sookie was sure she heard a hiss, but she couldn't see where either of them had moved. She pasted her smile in place and stood her ground, trying to look unperturbed until Charles turned to his son, "Breandan, I will see you next week." Charles O'Hara turned to Sookie next, his smile tight, "Thank you for a fascinating dinner. I look forward to our next encounter." He bowed, but when he left, it was Rogan Sookie saw, not the elegant businessman and Sookie was pretty sure she'd made an enemy.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"I think it would be best if I checked in with my Father first," Breandan told her as they parked the car in Slievemore. He had barely spoken with her after dinner last night. They went to bed shortly afterward. Breandan stripped as he always did but, instead of initiating foreplay, he snuggled against her back, holding her against him. When Sookie started stroking the long line of his thigh, he'd scolded her. "Go to sleep, Sookie," then loosened his grip and turned away from her.

Sookie asked if she'd done something wrong last night and again in the car this morning, but Breandan dodged the question. Instead, he'd explained the landscape they were driving through and confirmed his Father lived in Carrack, many miles away. "There will be no repeat of last night," he told her in a way that sounded as though he meant more than one thing.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Sookie asked.

She wasn't surprised when he told her it wasn't necessary. "The best place for boots is up the hill," he said instead. He gave her directions, and then drew a map so she wouldn't get lost. "This won't take long. I'll meet you there." Sookie half-expected he'd kiss her before he left and she couldn't help feeling disappointed when he didn't.

"Thought I'd be seeing this place with you," she grumbled to herself as she started navigating the route Breandan outlined. The streets were as he named, but the distance between them was longer than Sookie anticipated, or maybe it was that it was a new place, so everything seemed bigger. When she took the left turn, she was faced with climbing a fairly steep hill. The sidewalks were wet and the street was cobblestone, which guaranteed her sneakers would slip. There were cars navigating down the street in single file between other cars parked on both sides of the road, many partially blocking the sidewalks. It was a tight squeeze and soon Sookie was panting, her winter coat and wool sweater, which had been fine this morning when they left, now feeling like too many layers. When she reached the top of the hill, she checked the map, but the street name on the sign didn't match. The street she'd been climbing ended, so she scanned down the other side of the road and saw a sign with the name she needed tucked between buildings. Sookie carefully walked down the sidewalk on the right side until she reached the street, which was more accurately an alley, then she turned in.

The sides of the buildings were very close to the road but, after a bit, they backed away and the storefronts looked more modern. She spotted the store Breandan named just ahead of her and walked in. The boots were toward the back and Sookie was soon fitted with a pair of green, waterproof Wellingtons and another pair of leather boots that were both comfortable and waterproof. Sookie glanced at the window looking for Breandan as the clerk packed her purchases.

In no time, she was standing outside the store. "Now what?" she asked out loud. Breandan was nowhere to be seen and a drizzle started to fall. Sookie glanced around her and saw a pub right across the street. It looked pleasant enough with windows facing the clothing store, so she could keep a look out. She noticed the name of the place, 'The Ghoul's Kiss.' "That sounds promising," she mumbled sarcastically and squaring her shoulders, crossed the street and walked inside.

The door opened with the sound of a bell that was nailed above. There were some people inside and they all turned to stare at her as she walked in. "Not promising after all," Sookie said to herself, wondering if she should just turn around and head back to wait at the car.

"It's Sookie, isn't it?" Sookie looked up and then around. She wasn't sure who said that. It wasn't as if her name was all that common. She swiveled her head again and almost jumped back when a tall, blond giant seemed to appear from nowhere. "It is you," he half-smiled.

"Do I know you?" Sookie asked.

"In a way," he replied rather cryptically. "What's more important at the moment, though, is I know you. Where's Breandan? Has he abandoned you already?"

"I think I'll be going," Sookie smiled tightly.

"Where?" the tall man asked. His smile was mocking. "You might as well wait here, out of the rain. If you're worried, you might consider that I already know who you are and who your boyfriend is, which means it's a safe bet that your boyfriend knows me as well."

"I don't think anything around here is a safe bet," Sookie snipped.

"She's smart, too," a short, blond woman seemed to glide to stand beside the man.

"Who are you?" Sookie asked, then realizing how rude she sounded, held out her hand and said, "I'm Sookie Stackhouse."

The woman just stared at Sookie's hand, then lifting her eyes, said, "Pam. Pam Ravenscroft." When Sookie glanced at the man, the woman she now knew as Pam said, "And this is Eric Northman. We own this place."

"And you know Breandan?" Sookie asked the woman.

"We know all the Brigants," Pam answered, "or, should I say, the O'Haras?"

"People sure seem to have a lot of names around here!" Sookie said, mostly to herself. It must have been a funny thing to say because both Pam and Eric laughed. Sookie couldn't help staring at them. She could tell there was something different about them, but it wasn't the same way Breandan and his relatives were different. There was no face under the face with Pam and Eric; no, it was something else.

"May I get you something while you wait?" Eric asked.

Sookie glanced around. The place didn't look like a restaurant. It looked like a bar, but it was a little early to start drinking. "Coffee?" Sookie asked, hopefully.

Eric glanced at Pam who headed down a short hallway in back of the bar. "Anything else?" he asked. There was something about him, something almost familiar, which was crazy. He wasn't like anyone she'd ever seen. He was taller than most men and too handsome to go unnoticed in any crowd. He seemed to know it, too, because when Sookie stared a tick too long, his smile crept up in a very knowing way.

"Coffee will do it," Sookie said, a little too loudly, and then, "Thank you." She glanced around again, "I'll just sit over there by the window if that's all right, you know, to watch for Breandan. He said he would meet me here, I mean, over there…" She gestured toward the clothing store. She realized she was rambling and without warning, her blush took over. Pasting her smile over her face, she ducked her head and scuttled over to sit at one of the tables along the front windows.

"We have just opened here," Eric had followed her and he slid into the seat across from her as if she had invited him. He glanced at the window and adjusted the curtain so the slight light was blocked out on his side. "This is my second place. I have a pub like this in Carrack."

"How nice for you," Sookie knew her smile was making her look a little crazy, but she couldn't think what else to do. The rain outside had picked up and the idea of walking back down the hill, slipping and sliding, was not attractive.

"It is, actually," Eric laughed a little. Pam appeared with a cup of coffee she'd clearly purchased somewhere. "Thank you, Pam," and Eric gestured. The woman set the coffee down and walked away. "This is not my usual territory, you see. I had to gain a concession from Rogan Brigant. I'm sure you've met him already," and Eric looked at her, waiting.

Sookie figured a name like 'Rogan' couldn't be that common, even here. "I met him last night," Sookie nodded. "He said his name was Charles O'Hara."

Eric nodded, "But, of course, it isn't. They use the name O'Hara, but they're all Brigants."

"Even Breandan…" It was clicking for Sookie and the conclusions she was starting to reach didn't feel good, and then she remembered. She remembered the way Breandan looked at her and the way he took care of her. She remembered the way he'd been with her Mother and how he helped without complaining. She remembered his music and the way he made her laugh and her eyes narrowed. "I'm sure there are good reasons why they choose to hide their identities. I'm betting even you can think of a reason or two!"

"You are loyal," Eric nodded. "I could tell that about you. You have a pure heart," and then he looked at her more directly. "You should not have come here. You should have stayed on your side of the ocean."

Sookie's mouth fell open. She couldn't see where this stranger got off telling her anything. He was trying to cause trouble between her and Breandan and he had a way of looking at her that wasn't quite polite. "Thank you for the coffee," she stood up. "I'm sure Breandan is looking for me. I'll be sure to let him know I saw you!"

"He can see that for himself," Eric told her and he gestured toward the window. Breandan was standing across the street, staring at her. His face wasn't exactly pleased, but Sookie smiled and waved.

Once he walked indoors, Breandan wasted no time picking up Sookie's bag from the floor. "Are you ready?" he asked before turning to Eric. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm starting a business," Eric sat back and pushed his long legs out in front of him. "You remember me telling you I was working for a concession? Well, this is it! Another bar and right here in Slievemore!"

"Of all towns, you had to locate in this one?" Breandan looked angry. Sookie walked very deliberately to stand behind Breandan, making clear where her allegiance lay. When Breandan glanced at her, Sookie placed her hand on his back and she felt that connection to him again. She could tell by the way he relaxed, just a hair, that he felt it, too, and it made her feel wonderful that she could do this for him.

Eric was staring at her and Sookie kept her eyes from his until he looked back to Breandan, "You know how this works. My place in Carrack is popular. This one will be, too. Who doesn't like to take a little walk on the wild side, listening to music, and drinking into the wee hours?"

"You running this place on your own?" Breandan was looking around and Sookie could feel his unhappiness.

"Pam is here to help get things going. Once it's up and running, she'll go back to Carrack. I expect I'll like the landscape here better," and Eric reached over to pick up the cup of coffee from the table. "Don't forget this," he told Sookie, holding it out to her. "It's important to stay warm against Irish rains!"

Without thinking, Sookie took the cup from Eric's hand and sipped it. Breandan hissed and Sookie took a step back, startled at his reaction. "What?" she snapped. "It's coffee!"

Breandan almost snarled at Eric, "She isn't like others! She can't be glamoured, so you can keep your tricks to yourself!"

"That may be," Eric nodded, "but she is still a person and you know this isn't going to end well for her!"

"What's going on?" Sookie asked. She could tell something was being said that she didn't understand and her worry returned.

"The ghoul is looking to make trouble," Breandan turned to Sookie and wrapped his arms around her. "I am sorry I'm late. Father is leaving soon and there were things that needed to be said, but now, I'm here. Why don't we go back to the car and drop off your things and I'll buy you some lunch? Then I can give you a tour of Slievemore. We can see the hotel and take a walk around the harbor?" When Sookie glanced at the rain outside the window, Breandan pulled an umbrella from nowhere. It was her Breandan again and Sookie sensed nothing more than his happiness to be with her and she found she was eager to forget Eric Northman and the unsettled state of her morning.

"Perhaps you'd like to come by and grace us with your music?" Eric interrupted. Breandan turned from Sookie, but before he could say anything, Eric added, "It's open session here every night and I have to say, the talent's been impressive. Sessions start around nine, but you'll have to be here a little early if you're looking for a seat."

"I'm sure you're doing well," Breandan nodded, "But maybe it's just that you're new. There's lots of music pubs in Slievemore."

Sookie thought Breandan's words sounded like a threat, but Eric didn't. He just laughed and said, "We'll see!" and then bowed to Sookie. "You are welcome to visit anytime," he told her. "Remember, you have a friend here." Sookie could tell that Breandan wasn't pleased, but she did the polite thing.

Breandan wrapped his arm around Sookie and soon they were walking down the street. As soon as her feet slipped on the sidewalk, though, Breandan swept her up into his arms, like some knight in shining armor and carried her into the first little shop. He insisted on helping her change her shoes for the boots she'd purchased and soon they were walking sure-footed over sidewalks. Breandan dragged her in and out of little stores, introducing her to shopkeepers and keeping her laughing with stories about the people they saw and local happenings. The stores were sporting their holiday decorations and Sookie found herself sighing. "I don't suppose you do Christmas trees," she said as they walked out of another store decorated in holly and wreaths.

"I haven't," Breandan told her, "but we could decorate the cottage if you like. Greens are traditional. There's evergreen and holly growing near the cottage. We could cut some and bring it inside. Would you like that?"

"Our first Christmas together," Sookie sighed.

"Yes, our first," Breandan agreed and he steered her into the next shop, insisting on buying her some glass ornaments for the mantle above the fire. Her face was shining and her happiness warmed him. He almost forgot the unpleasant conversation with his Father and the deal he'd struck, agreeing to leave Sookie for manufactured trips come February in exchange for the gift of their privacy through January. He wondered again if he should have fought his Father. There had been a moment he almost told Rogan to stuff it, that he'd take his hybrid and return to the United States, but he hadn't. He had knuckled under. Breandan looked at his face in the window's reflection and the person he saw looking back was a coward.


	15. Chapter 14 - Reaching Through

**Chapter 14 – Reaching Through**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Monday, the following week, Breandan left early to drive to Slievemore. They had stayed up later than usual the night before, sipping wine, and staring into the fire. As had become their habit, Breandan told Sookie stories about Ireland. Last night, he'd told her the legend of the Giant's Stairway. He held her against him, his voice rising and falling, lulling Sookie into a sense of peace as she listened to the cadence and rhythm of his words.

"What will I do all day while you're gone?" Sookie asked Breandan as he dressed that morning.

"You can use the laptop," he pointed out, "and your cell phone is working. Enjoy the day. Rest." For anyone else, this kind of sentiment might have been fine, but for Sookie, used to activity, it sounded more like punishment.

Sookie rolled over and closed her eyes, then she flipped over and closed her eyes again. After a half hour, she admitted defeat and got up, shuffling her way downstairs to the kitchen. The new coffee maker was installed and Breandan must have run it because there was hot coffee waiting. She picked up the book she'd started, but after an hour put it down. It wasn't very nice outside and there was a stiff breeze rattling the glass in the sunroom, so the idea of wandering the beach once the sun rose wasn't appealing. Sookie walked into the office, and then walked back to the living room. She looked around and then walked to the office again. Turning on the television, she saw a commercial about Christmas and she started to cry. "Mama!" she said aloud, then she retreated upstairs. She spent the rest of the day lying in bed, staring out the window, and allowing her grief to overcome her.

On some level, Sookie felt silly for allowing her emotions to rule her this way, but another part of her felt that her Mother deserved at least some tears from her child. Sookie wondered about Jason. She thought about Aunt Linda. She wondered if her Mother found her Father in some lovely place in the afterlife, and that thought caused her to dissolve into weeping again. Finally, exhausted, she fell asleep.

"Sookie?" The voice seemed to come from far away. "Sookie? Are you well?"

It was Breandan. He was home and she was still in bed. Her eyes hurt and her throat was sore. She rolled over, shielding her eyes from the light. "What happened to you?" he asked.

"I don't know," Sookie sniffed. "I guess I was just sad today."

"Are you going to eat?" Breandan asked, and it occurred to Sookie that what he was really asking was whether she was going to get up and feed him.

"Sure," she nodded. "I guess," and she rolled out of bed and padded to the bathroom, shutting the door in his face. When she came out, she could hear him downstairs. She didn't really feel hungry, but when she got to the kitchen, she found Breandan had turned on the water and was making her a cup of tea. It struck her as such a sweet thing to do, she started crying again.

"I'm sorry!" she apologized, holding onto his shirt. "I can't help it! I saw something about Christmas, and I thought about my Mom… and how we'll never…" and Sookie couldn't continue. Breandan held her close, but she didn't feel the same comfort she remembered from before, and she made an effort to pull herself together. She took the stew she had in the refrigerator and poured it into a pan.

"It will only be a minute," she told him, "I'm okay."

Breandan made an effort to be helpful. He set the table and he didn't try to get her to talk. Instead, he watched her as if she was some new, foreign creature he wasn't quite sure how to handle. When the food was dished, he took the bowls, and he even held her chair while she sat down. She knew her eyes were bloodshot and her nose was red with rubbing. "Thank you," she said, although she'd done most of the work, then, "How was work today? Are you thinking you'll catch on at the hotel okay?"

"I'm worried about you being out here by yourself," he said instead. "Finding you this way worries me."

Sookie shrugged, "I think it was bound to happen," she told him in her practical way. "I just keep pushing things back to deal with all this new stuff. It's not like what happened before goes away. It just builds up. I think today was the first chance I had to just let loose."

"And that's what this is?" Breandan was still watching her as if he didn't believe it.

"I miss her," Sookie nodded. "I'm sure you can understand that," but with the way Breandan's head cocked to the side and how he just started eating, Sookie wondered if he could.

When Sookie finally ate a spoonful from her bowl, Breandan asked, "Do you think you'll do this every day?"

There was something in the way he was watching her. It wasn't alarm exactly; in fact, if she had to put a name to it, she thought it might have been disgust. Sookie sat up a little straighter and pasted her smile in place, "No, Breandan," she told him. "I think I just needed today."

He waited as if he thought she might say more, but when she didn't, Breandan launched into the story of his day. He told her of the hotel and his role. It seemed to Sookie that for a person with no experience in running hotels, Breandan seemed pretty comfortable with the challenges thrown his way, and something occurred to her. "How old are you?"

Breandan stopped in mid-sentence. He lowered his spoon and sat back. "How old do you think I am?"

"Don't!" Sookie cautioned. "I need Breandan O'Hara, my boyfriend, to be straight with me. How old are you?"

"I don't know," he told her, "but it is many ages of man. I remember when the Christians came to this place. I remember when you had to travel many miles to see any human at all."

"Oh," Sookie said. Her mind was reeling, and then she took a deep breath before saying, "And out of all the people you've met over all these years, I'm the one you chose?"

"There have been others," he told her. "But you are unique," and Breandan reached across the table, laying his hand over hers. "You make me feel things," he said carefully, "and that hasn't happened in a long time."

"Oh," Sookie said again, but the thought that she was that special warmed her. She turned her hand over and twined her fingers through his. "I love you," she said. It was the greatest compliment she could pay and she trusted that he knew that.

The next morning, Sookie got up with Breandan. When she made him breakfast, he told her how happy it made him. "I will text you when I leave Slievemore," he told her. "I missed talking with you yesterday."

"I'm sure you're surrounded by lots of people in a hotel," Sookie teased, thinking he was just trying to be nice, but Breandan's response didn't sound like words being spoken to be polite.

"It's the slow season. There are always things to do, renovations and changes to be made, but I missed you, your voice." It was in the way he said it as though he was surprised and a little confused by his own feelings.

"Then call me," Sookie told him. She hugged him, laying her head against his chest. She wanted to comfort him and his body reacted as though he could feel it.

"You love me still?" he asked.

"I love you always!" Sookie declared. It struck her that she was holding a creature who was older than anything she knew, but he still cared whether she loved him. "Guess is doesn't matter how old you are," she said aloud. "In the end, we all need love."

He kissed her and it seemed a perfect start to any day. "I'm getting up to make you breakfast more often!" Sookie told him and was rewarded by his gorgeous smile.

Once Breandan was on his way, Sookie marched upstairs, showered, and dressed. The day was already brightening and she sat back down at the kitchen table and plotted her day. 'Town – bank,' she wrote on a piece of paper. She still hadn't opened her bank account. Breandan insisted on paying for things, but it made her uneasy. Granted, she didn't have many needs here, not yet, but the idea of not having her own pocket money ran against everything she'd been raised to believe. She'd paid attention driving back from Slievemore and she knew now that the road at the end of the walled lane did indeed run into Killary. It would be a bit of a hike, but there were shoulders on either side and it wouldn't take long.

'Emails,' she wrote down next. There were messages in her Inbox from Amelia and Aunt Linda. There was also another there from Desmond Cataliades, her former neighbor who agreed to act as her attorney for her Mother's estate.

"Better get cracking," Sookie took a last sip of coffee and walked the short distance that took her into the cottage's office space. She knew that the house she was in was very old. She wasn't sure, but she suspected that this structure, or one like it, had been on this foundation for a very long time. You couldn't tell, though. The inside walls were finished and the exterior was tidy and clean. The wide board floors gleamed underfoot and the electricity and plumbing worked.

Sookie opened Amelia's email first. It was full of news about preparations for Christmas and who was visiting whom. There were photos from Thanksgiving with Amelia and Sean at a football game wearing rival colors and mugging for the camera. Amelia also sent their flight information. They would be arriving right after New Year's and planned to stay for three weeks. Sookie wrote back, assuring her friend they would be at the airport to meet them. She typed a description of the cottage and beach, and she gave a quick description of Slievemore. "I'll need to figure out some more things to do with them," she mumbled to herself.

Next was the email from Aunt Linda. She apologized for the way they left each other after her Mother's death. She wrote how she hoped all was going well and how she sincerely hoped Sookie was happy with Breandan. She wrote how her daughter had read Linda the riot act, telling her how romantic Sookie's story was, like out of a fairy tale book. "If only you knew!" Sookie whistled under her breath, and then laughed to acknowledge how she was living a pretty extraordinary life with a fairy, so that fit the definition!

Linda went on to remind Sookie to apply for dual citizenship. ' _Everything I read says marriage isn't a guarantee that you can become a citizen and if you decide to remain living together, you are going to have to leave if you don't have your status settled_.' "I really need to figure that out!" Sookie nodded. She hadn't discussed it with Breandan, but she couldn't see where he'd have any objection.

Last, she opened the email from Desmond. She remembered how kind he'd been, patting her hand, and telling her how much he missed her Mother. Sookie almost put it off for later, worried that reading anything pertaining to her Mom would set her back to the mess she'd been yesterday, but then she refused. "Just get it over with!" she said out loud and hit the 'open' key.

Desmond started by saying again how sorry he was for her and her family and hoping she was getting on well in Ireland. He listed the documents he'd filed and he outlined the next steps. He cautioned her that these things took time and there would be some more papers to sign. Since she was overseas, it was important she scan and email some papers, but others would require an ink signature, and she should be prepared to handle that, too. "More things to figure out," Sookie sighed. She glanced at the printer in back of her and it had a Scan function. "Wonder if that works?" she asked out loud.

Then, Desmond told her that because of the study her Mother had been in and the fact that they donated her organs, her bills associated with the cancer center were forgiven and even more surprising, the bills associated with her Mother's care at the other hospital were forgiven, too. Sookie sat back, trying to absorb it. She figured she'd be working here for nothing, all her money going back to the United States to settle debts. It was as if a huge weight was lifted from her. This life she was making with Breandan could really start!

' _I'm still tracking down some of the life insurance policies and other assets from the box of paperwork you gave me_ ," Desmond wrote. ' _This will take some time, but I think there may be a little money left over for you once this is done_.' There were a couple attachments Desmond needed her to sign and send back to him and he again expressed his sympathies.

Sookie hit the print button on the attachments and was pleased when the printer sprang to life. She signed both and then loaded them back in the printer and hit the scan button. It took a couple tries, but Sookie figured it out and she could email them back to Desmond, including her thanks for everything he was doing for her and how wonderful the news was about the medical bills. She remembered to ask about his family and she sent a few words about how happy she was here and how she was settling in.

Sookie glanced at the clock on the laptop. 'Ten o'clock!" she sighed. "Time to get going!"

It wasn't raining outside, but Sookie wore her new winter raincoat anyway. It was lined and completely waterproof. It also had a hood and Sookie added a hat and gloves. Since she was walking the road, Sookie put on her new leather boots. They were waterproof and, feeling very prepared, Sookie locked up and headed down the lane. It wasn't her first time walking between the high walls. She'd dropped off a couple pieces of her cake to the Bradys after her dinner with Charles O'Hara, aka Rogan Brigant. Paula met her at the door of her house and thanked her. Sookie explained she had to head right back, saving the woman from having to invite her in. With the look Paula was giving her, Sookie wasn't sure if the farmer's wife was happy with the prospect of having Sookie inside anyway. Now, Sookie walked with sure strides, clearing the walls, passing the Bradys' gate, and taking the right that had her heading toward Killary.

There was very little out here. To the right, the ground was sandy and to the left, there were electric wires topping stone walls, keeping cows in place. After a bit, Sookie passed a marker. It was brown and on the top with a symbol of a walker and an arrow pointing forward. "Wonder what that is?" Sookie asked out loud. She walked for another twenty minutes before she came to the first house. It was set off to the left. After a bit, there was another one, and soon the houses appeared at regular intervals. The markers did, too, seeming to appear every mile or so, pointing the way forward.

When the road reached a 'Y' turn, the marker pointed to the right, so Sookie followed it, knowing it led the way to Killary.

Sookie walked into the small bank around 11:30. She glanced at the door, confirming her suspicion that the bank would close for lunch. There was one person ahead of her and, when it was her turn, she placed her debit card and her passport on the counter. It took a little bit but, eventually, she walked out with her own bank account, a temporary pass card, and the assurance that everything would be mailed to the cottage down the street. Sookie was sure she imagined it, but when she gave the address and confirmed she was living there with Breandan O'Hara, things seemed to moved faster.

As she stepped onto the street, the bank door was locked behind her, and Sookie sighed, thinking of the long walk back. "Well, at least you know the way!" she shrugged and, pulling her gloves back on, she started back down the long road that led to her house.

She walked the opposite side of the road this time and she noticed the same markers with the hikers on them. "Wonder what they are?" she asked the cows who watched her pass.

She noticed the tall trees in one field and their bare, upper branches loaded with huge birds' nests. As she watched, she saw a flock of black birds fly from them. "Ravens!" she exclaimed and it made her look more carefully at the landscape around her. She noticed that many of the small animals and birds she took for granted at home didn't seem to be around here. She didn't see squirrels or the flocks of small birds she associated with New England winter. Occasionally she'd see some smaller bird take flight in a field, but mostly she heard the raucous cries of the ravens behind her.

Cataloging the natural world helped Sookie not notice the time it took to make the trek back. Soon, she was turning into the walled lane that led to the cottage. Her stomach was grumbling and her feet were starting to ache. "New boots," she sighed.

She almost walked past the gate that led to the Bradys when she was stopped by Paula. "Is that you?" she called. Sookie looked to see the farmer's wife standing in her front yard. She was moving some pots around her front patio.

"Can I help?" Sookie asked, and then opened the gate and grabbed a side. Together, they rolled and lifted until Paula had the pots rearranged.

"Been meaning to get that done and it was a fine day," Paula explained as she thanked Sookie. "It looks as though you were walking," she added.

"To town," Sookie nodded. "I finally opened my bank account," and then, to Sookie's embarrassment, her stomach growled.

"So, you just walked all that way?" Paula asked, and then "Well, then, you must be hungry! Come on in with you. Tom is away at his meeting and I could do with the company." They both dropped their boots at the front door and Paula pointed at a pair of felt shoes for Sookie while toeing into her own. "Try those. They'll probably be too big for you, but better than icy toes!"

Within a minute, Sookie's toes, which were stiff, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "It's just leftovers from last night," Paula warned. There was some meat Sookie thought might be mutton and mashed potatoes with something extra. Within two mouthfuls, Sookie was forking the potatoes into her mouth as if she hadn't eaten in days. "There's more!" Paula laughed at her. "You've never had colcannon, then?"

"If that's what this is, then no," Sookie confirmed. Paula placed a half loaf of brown bread on the table and one slice was all it took for Sookie to know she'd just found another favorite thing.

"Would you share the recipe for these?" she asked the farmer.

"I'll tell you what," Paula told her. "If you're willing, you can come back tomorrow and I'll show you how to make them."

"Only if you let me pitch in for what you need," Sookie dug into her pocket and put bills on the table. When Paula protested, Sookie held up her hands, "I'm not going to take no for an answer! It's the least I can do!"

"Well, if you insist,' Paula nodded, "Then the least I can do is give you what's left and walk you down the lane. We can stop at the well on the way and make a wish."

"A wishing well?" Sookie rolled her eyes. "I feel like every time I turn around there's another reminder that I'm walking through a fairytale!"

"It doesn't do to say such things," Paula scolded. "For all you're so friendly with them!"

Sookie almost said something else, but she thought of Breandan's reaction and how he warned her to not say anything. "Breandan is devilishly handsome," Sookie shrugged. "I'd call him a Prince Charming!"

"If you say so," Paula wasn't looking amused, so Sookie dropped it. They put on their boots and headed down the lane toward the cottage, but when they got to the driveway, instead of continuing down the path, Paula turned right and walked toward where the ground fell away. There was a path down the bluff. It headed toward the sea and halfway down they came to a place where the ground leveled. There was a holly tree and a place where there were stones piled one on the other in a semi-circle. "It's a holy well," Paula volunteered. She took two red strips of cloth from her pocket. "Make a wish and then tie your wish to the tree," she instructed.

Sookie stared at the cloth in her hand. She closed her eyes and in her head, she thought of the most general wish she could, ' _I wish for a happy life_ ' and then watching Paula, she tied her rag to a branch of the holly.

She must have done it right because Paula turned right around and said, "If you'd like, I can help you cut greens to decorate your house for Christmas."

"Maybe after cooking," Sookie agreed.

When they reached the driveway, Paula headed back down the lane. "Around nine," she called over her shoulder.

That night, Breandan commented on her happier disposition. Sookie thought he'd ask about her day, but instead, he told her about his. Things at the hotel were settling back into what sounded like a routine and Sookie could tell he had missed this part of his life. It made her yearn for more activity in her own, but then she thought of cooking lessons tomorrow and that seemed enough for now. Even Breandan's lovemaking seemed happier.

"Wow," Sookie said afterward, her heart still hammering. "Glad to see you, too! You keep at it like that and I'll think you have someone on the side!"

"Why would you say that?" Breandan asked, but he didn't sound amused.

"Guilt is supposed to be a great aphrodisiac," Sookie said, telling herself the surprise he was showing was because he hadn't heard the expression before.

"Is that why you are so lively?" Breandan asked. There was that tone again and Sookie was quickly losing her happy afterglow.

"You think I've got visitors out here all day?" she asked. She tried to make it sound like a joke, but she didn't quite succeed.

"Eric Northman was very interested in you." Breandan rolled from her and sat up in bed.

"You're serious? Eric Northman? The bartender in Slievemore?" and Sookie shook her head, looked at Breandan, and shook her head some more. "You sure do get some weird ideas! If you're some crazy, sick, jealous person who's going to question me about every man I talk with, you better tell me now. I like people. Men are people. I'm going to talk with men, but that doesn't mean I'm going any farther! Really, Breandan, if you don't have any better opinion of me…"

"You're right," he conceded. "You're right, it was silly. It's just the way he looked at you." He let Sookie pull him back down into the bed and he snuggled her close. "He's a ghoul, you know, a vampire."

"Eric Northman?" Sookie laughed, but she quieted when Breandan didn't join in the laughter. "You're serious?"

"We call them the Unseelie, the Lower Court. They're Fae like us, but not the same. I suppose we think them a bit less than my kind. Still, we honor them and try to get along. It wasn't always that way. There was a time that the Seelie, my people, fought with the Unseelie, but those days are long over."

"That would explain it," Sookie nodded. "He seemed different, him and Pam. I just couldn't put my finger on it." Sookie thought for a minute, "So, are all those stories true? Drinking blood and sleeping in coffins?"

"The blood thing is true enough, but they can walk during the day if the sun's not directly on them. They prefer not to, though. As for coffins, it seems a personal question and I've never asked." Breandan nudged Sookie, "And I'd prefer you didn't. I don't think you should see him again."

"I really don't like this side of you," Sookie huffed. "His club sounds like fun and I think we should take Sean and Amelia there. You and Sean can perform. It feels like forever since I've heard you play and I miss it and Amelia will love the place." When Breandan didn't say anything, Sookie pulled away from him. "So, what? So, now you figure you're going to start laying down the rules? I'm going to tell you that this is one of the reasons I didn't agree to marry you. Being engaged is a promise and I wanted to be sure we wouldn't run into these kinds of bullshit problems before I made any kinds of promises!" Breandan started to look alarmed and Sookie thought, ' _Good!_ '

"You need to know this about me, Breandan O'Hara!" she told him. "You may be catching me at a weak moment, right after I've lost my Mom," and Sookie's voice caught. She swallowed, squared her shoulders, and continued, "I'm not at my best, but the day will come and soon when my feet will be back under me. I am an independent, smart woman. I make my own decisions. I'm not looking for someone to fight my battles. I can fight my own, thank you very much, but what I am looking for is someone who has my back. If that's not the kind of woman you want, you need to make that decision now before this goes any further."

When Breandan didn't speak up, Sookie continued, "I told you I love you and that's no lie. If we call this off, my heart's going to hurt for a long time, but better I get bruised now than learn down the road that the man I married is someone I can't respect." It was a good speech and Sookie knew it was the right thing to do, even if the idea of leaving him was making her tremble.

"I wouldn't want you to be other than you are," Breandan said solemnly and then he pulled her to him, kissing her with such passion that Sookie almost believed she'd heard him agree.

The next morning, Sookie was up with Breandan and almost before he disappeared down the lane, she was on her way for her cooking lesson. She loaded her bag with things she thought she'd need and things she thought Paula might like. She included one of the glass ornaments she'd purchased in Slievemore as a thank you, tied with a red ribbon.

For the better part of the morning, the women chopped, steamed, and talked. Paula told her about growing up on the farm. Tom, her husband, had married into the land when he married her. "Did you ever wonder if he was marrying you because he wanted the farm?" Sookie asked. Normally it would have been rude to ask a question like that after only a couple conversations, but there was something about Paula that just set Sookie at ease.

"It depends on what kind of foolish thing he's done," Paula told her, "But most days, I know he married me for the farm!" and she laughed, so Sookie knew she was kidding.

By lunch, there was bread and colcannon for both households and Sookie wrapped up her accomplishments in a cloth bag to carry back. "Why don't I walk with you and we can cut those greens?" Paula offered.

She armed them both with sharp knives and some plastic bags and they walked first to the cottage to place the food in the kitchen, and then out toward the well. In no time, they had evergreen boughs and holly branches, bright with berries. "Now this," and Paula held up a smaller bough of holly, "is said to bring a special blessing. Place it on your mantle and drape some over your door. Find four sprigs with berries and hang them on the four corners of your bed and you'll never doubt your man's passion."

"Really?" Sookie laughed, then cocking an eye, said, "I'm not sure I'd survive much more passion than I get right now!"

"Mark my words!" Paula told her, "It's an old tradition and a good one!" and she winked.

Sookie spent the rest of the afternoon and into the evening arranging holly and evergreen boughs. There was enough for the mantle and a sprig for over the door. She placed some in a cut-glass bowl surrounding a candle and she set it on the table. When Breandan came home, the cottage smelled of cooking food and pine.

"Someone's been busy!" he smiled and he smiled more when she served him dinner. "You have a sure hand," he complimented her. "I've never had better!" He pulled out his fiddle that night and he played while Sookie read.

Breandan finished a slow ballad and Sookie deliberately set down her book and let her hair down. She unbound his hair, too. "Love me," she commanded and unbuttoned her shirt in front of him.

"As my lady commands," he answered and setting down his fiddle, picked her up so she was straddling him as he carried her up the stairs. When her back hit the bed, they didn't take their time stripping clothes from each other. Everything seemed hurried and as they kissed and stroked, Breandan's movements became more aggressive. He bit her nipple so hard Sookie flinched, but his fingers were already moving with purpose over her and within her.

"I need you!" he was breathing hard and he was in her almost before she was ready.

"Breandan!" she panted, "Slow down! We're not going anywhere!" but he didn't seem to hear. He rose over her, his eyes shut and his head thrown back and suddenly, he was moving across that place within her that made her tighten and she started to move with him, her pace quickening to match his.

When she thought about it later, she couldn't explain exactly how their lovemaking was different this time, but she knew it was. She knew she was with him, but it changed and soon it was almost as if the real Sookie was standing to the side, watching an erotic dance rather than being a part of it. Her body was moving, in fact, their rhythm was perfect. She knew she was making noises and so was he, and then, just as she was about to find her happy place, Breandan pulled out of her. His eyes were wide and he scuttled back. He was ejaculating in long golden streams that fell on the bed cover and over her legs and Sookie realized it was glowing.

"What the hell did you do?" he snarled. He looked around, his eyes wild and he grabbed one of the holly twigs from where she'd tied it to the canopy frame. He leaned over her, his lips curled back, "Who told you to do this?" he demanded, shaking the greenery at her. He leaned over further and Sookie cringed, but he was only grabbing another of the sprigs, snapping the string that held it and throwing it across the room. "How dare you!" he raged. "How could you ever think I would want to create another one of you!"

He jumped from the bed, leaving Sookie stunned and naked. Sookie heard him running down the stairs and the sound of the front door slamming. "What happened?" she asked out loud, but there was no one she could ask.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Down the lane, Tom turned to his wife and said, "I wish you'd leave her alone. There's never any good that comes from mixing with the Gentry!

"Oh, she's as normal as you and me," Paula chided her husband. "Sookie's a dear girl. I don't think she has any idea what he is," and she put the rest of the leftovers in the refrigerator.

"It makes no difference," Tom shook his head. "When he's done with her, she'll pine away like all the rest."

"Not if she catches his child," Paula told him. "They take care of their own and if she takes a bit of him with her, he'll see she lives a good life, even after."

"And that's what I mean!" Tom scowled. "Trick the Fae at your peril, my lass!"

"It was just a small charm," Paula shrugged. "Besides, it would be Sookie who did it, not us!"

"You'd better hope he never finds out your part in this," Tom grumbled, then pulled on his coat to check on the livestock.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie changed the bed before she filled the tub with hot water. Breandan hadn't returned, but for some reason, she wasn't worried. Instead, she kept going over what happened between them. She Googled holly and Christmas and pagan on her cell phone. There were many references to holly being used to symbolize the return of life at the end of winter and descriptions of hanging a sprig of holly over the door as a sure way to ward off evil spirits. Then, Sookie found an article that identified holly with fertility and fertility rites. She thought about what happened and Breandan's reaction.

He had told her he couldn't have children or at least, that's what she thought he said. Now, she wasn't sure. But it was more than that. The words he'd used made it sound as if he could. He just didn't want children ' _like her_.' "Half Fae," Sookie said out loud.

When the water cooled, Sookie headed downstairs long enough to drink a dram of the fine whiskey Breandan kept. Glancing out the window, she saw his car. Wherever he'd gone, it had been on foot. After an hour, Sookie headed back upstairs, "You can let yourself in, Bucko!" she told the front door as she walked past.

Still, as she lay in bed, she couldn't sleep. She found herself listening to every sound, wondering if it was him. Finally, as the clock dropped over to three, she heard the front door open. "Breandan?" she called out.

"Yes," he answered, and then his footfalls came up the stairs. He was naked and freezing. His hair was wet.

"Where were you?" she asked, shivering as he slid closer.

"I went for a swim," he told her. Then he said, "I'm sorry. You didn't know, did you?"

"Didn't know that holly would work like some pregnancy pill or that you hate me so much you'd rather jump in the ocean than make another one of me? No, I didn't know either of those things, but I figured it out after you left," and Sookie waited. Her heart was aching, but she'd learned a long time ago that it was best to face bad news head-on.

"I didn't mean it," he said quietly. "You're right. I don't want to create children and for some reason, the holly in combination with you… well, it was potent, but I don't hate you. In fact, I feel the opposite. It's confusing. You're not what I anticipated," and he reached out to take her hand. "Please forgive me. Please tell me I haven't lost you," and he kissed her hand. Sookie could feel dampness on his face and she realized he was crying. "Forgive me!" he begged again.

Sookie's heart melted. She knew there were reasons she should hold firm. She knew there was something here that wasn't right, but the thought that Breandan could be so distraught at the idea of losing her caused all her good intentions to fly out the window.

When they rose the next morning, Breandan announced he'd been thinking about their being so isolated for Christmas and decided it would be better if they headed into town for the remainder of the holidays. "We'll be here all January with Amelia and Sean. Besides, you need to learn Slievemore and then there's Wren Day!"

"What's Wren Day?" Sookie asked, but Breandan refused to tell her.

They packed enough clothes for a week, although Breandan told Sookie to pack more. "I have things there," Breandan explained. They disposed of food and made sure the doors and windows were latched. As they drove past the Bradys' house, Sookie couldn't help wondering what part of this sudden desire to leave the cottage was sincere and what part was removing her from people who were becoming too close. It was not a kind thought and Sookie scolded herself for thinking it. After all, everything was forgiven and Breandan loved her or, at least he felt the opposite of hate.

xxxXXXxxx

The apartment at the hotel was nicer than Breandan's apartment in Boston. It had a large bedroom and a separate sitting area with its own fireplace. There was a small kitchen area and the bathroom was probably the second bedroom at one point. The bathtub was the largest Sookie had ever seen and just thinking about spending time in there with Breandan made her face flush.

"Mae asked us join her for dinner. I told her we would," Breandan tossed it out as if it was of no consequence, but the idea that he'd been here every day with Mae gave Sookie pause.

"I guess, if you've already said yes," Sookie nodded, but she felt some of the joy she'd been feeling leach from her.

"You're not jealous, are you?" Breandan purred.

"She didn't respect us," Sookie said reasonably. "She pissed you off enough that you sent her packing and now I find out you've been seeing her every day? Not jealous, exactly, more curious. Curious as to why you didn't mention she was still hanging around before this," and Sookie waited, her hands on her hips.

"I didn't think there was anything worth mentioning," Breandan shrugged. "She works here. I see her from time to time. The reason she asked us to join her is she regrets how she treated you and she wants to make amends. Since we're all going to be living here soon, I thought it would be a good idea, but if you really want to hold a grudge…" 

"No," Sookie sighed. "No. When you say it like that, it makes me look pretty small. Of course, I'll give her a second chance if that will make things around here easier." It wasn't what Sookie wanted to do at all.

Mae was pleasant, even funny. She asked about things at the cottage and a little about Sookie's background, but soon she and Breandan were doing most of the talking. They shared stories about recent problems here and at another hotel that sounded as if it was close by. There were repairs underway and some costly upgrades, but fixtures hadn't arrived and now things were stalled. Then they launched into a conversation about people Sookie didn't know. Most of the talk was around a person named Claude who was thinking about visiting soon.

Finally, Sookie asked Mae, "So, is Claude related to you?"

Mae laughed, "Through marriage, but he's Breandan's second cousin." There was something hard in the way she said it and Breandan's smile slipped just a hair.

"You sure have complicated families," Sookie said brightly, not sure what else would be polite under the circumstances.

As dinner wrapped up, Mae offered to come to the apartment in the morning to take Sookie on a tour of the hotel. "After all, you will be working here come February. You should know where everything is and get a chance to look everyone over."

That night, Breandan took her into the street and they walked past the closed shops and open pubs, strolling hand in hand, enjoying the holiday decorations that lit up the store windows. As they passed the alley that led to Ghoul's Kiss, Sookie couldn't help asking, "When Sean and Amelia come, you will play there one night, won't you? It will be like old times." Sookie found she missed the feel of Boston and the sense that even though she didn't know many people, she was still among friends.

"I'm sure we will," Breandan replied noncommittally, "but if it's music you're after, there's a place just ahead." He pulled her into a pub and they found a table in the corner. There was a small band gathered around a table on the other side. They were good, but Sookie could tell the difference. Breandan was just that much better and she sighed and leaned against him.

Christmas came, and then the next day. "Wren's Day!" Breandan announced.

Sookie had never seen anything like it. There was a parade of people, mostly men, dressed in straw. People were wearing green and gold. They paraded through the streets, stopping at pubs, and demanding offerings. There was the image of a bird nailed to a pole and it was carried at the head of the motley assembly. There were musicians and when the parade moved on, people banged on drums. One man was dressed as a hobby horse and he bobbed through the crowd, pulling women close. When he approached Sookie, Breandan stepped between them, and the man veered off. "What was that about?" Sookie asked.

"Nothing," Breandan growled, but Sookie was sure he wasn't being truthful.

Inevitably, the parade wound its way to Ghoul's Kiss. The 'wren boys' opened the doors and filled the place and soon music started inside. "The taps are open!" someone announced and soon more people were crowding in.

"Northman won't come out with trays, like everyone else," Breandan made a point of saying. It was overcast, but still, the day was bright.

"If he's a vampire, he wouldn't be able to, would he?" Sookie rolled her eyes. Breandan tried to hold her back, but Sookie just shrugged him off. "Might as well step inside with everyone else!" she teased him.

The place was as she remembered. It seemed darker, but maybe it was just all the wood. The people around her were having a great time and so was she. The whole event smacked of something old and primitive, despite the explanation she'd heard about St. Stephen. "This used to mark the day we made sacrifices to our gods," a voice whispered in her ear and Sookie whirled around to find Eric Northman standing behind her.

"Are you really a vampire?" It just slipped out and Sookie was horrified. She turned bright red and said as quickly, "Oh, I am so sorry! I didn't mean…"

Eric laughed out loud. It was a good sound and it made Sookie feel a little better. "People around here call us Ghouls," he said as if this was normal conversation. "I don't particularly hide what I am, but I don't make a point of yelling it out in public either."

"Well, you don't strike me as someone who's all that shy about it," Sookie sassed. "The name of this place is a dead giveaway, if you'll pardon my pun."

"Miss Stackhouse, you are bold!" Eric grinned. "It's rare finding a woman who doesn't mind speaking her mind." He leaned forward and his eyes grew warm, "It's an attractive quality."

"And now it looks like I've said too much!" and Sookie took a step back. "I'm here with Breandan," she added as if that would ward off the tall man in front of her.

"And yet, he's not by your side. This boyfriend of yours seems rather negligent," Eric was making a point of looking around, his height and exaggerated movements making clear he was 'searching,' before meeting her eyes and saying, "It seems once again, you are all alone." He smirked. There was no other word for it and he leaned down a little, so his face was closer to hers. "You could do better," he purred.

"And I suppose you think 'better' is you!" Sookie snapped. "You were kind of nice the first time I met you, but I can see that as always, first impressions can be deceiving!"

"You don't think I'm nice now?" Eric grinned.

"I think you're pretty full of yourself!" Sookie told him.

"I thought with the type of man you chase, you wouldn't appreciate nice," Eric straightened and Sookie was pretty sure he'd just insulted her.

"Well, I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm sure I don't care about your opinion!" Sookie heard herself say. She knew if her Mother was still with her, she'd have a few words for her daughter on the subject of manners. Sookie couldn't think why Eric Northman made her so mad, but she had to fist her hands to keep from swatting him.

"You're very cute when you're flustered," He was leaning back on his heels, smirking again, and it made Sookie see red. She took a deep breath, turned on her heel, and stomped out. Once on the sidewalk, she glanced around, wondering where Breandan had gone, and then she saw him. He was standing several stores away, talking with Mae. She was looking very Fae under her masque, almost feline, but her expression changed once she saw Sookie. Breandan turned and his eyes swept over her and Sookie couldn't help thinking how differently his look felt from the one the asshole inside had just given her.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"You're here!" Sookie's arms widened and Amelia stepped inside. Her friend didn't look at all the worse for wear for all she'd just spent seven hours on a plane.

"We all miss you!" Amelia told her. "Fran and Pat sent a present. It's in my suitcases." As threatened, the suitcases turned out to be a small mountain of matching pink luggage. "I had to have it!" Amelia gushed. "I always know where it is!"

"Pepto-Bismol pink!" Sean laughed.

They'd rented a van, anticipating the need for more room and the whole way back to the cottage, Amelia told stories about Boston and people Sookie remembered from the restaurant. Sookie told them about Slievemore and Amelia pulled out a list from her purse of places she 'had' to see.

They picked up food on the way and set up lunch as soon as they arrived at the cottage. "This place is so cute!" Amelia gushed.

"And the staircase is so steep!" Sean groused. Breandan helped carry bags up, installing the couple in the bedroom across from their own.

Sookie and Amelia bustled around the kitchen, turning up heaters, and setting the table in the sunroom. Sookie made Amelia stop long enough to take a good, long look at her friend's engagement ring. It sparkled on her hand and Amelia's eyes sparkled to match. "It's so beautiful!" Sookie told her. "I'm so happy for you!"

"I kind of thought you'd have one of these, too, by now," Amelia told her.

"No," and Sookie thought of the nice coat Breandan presented her for Christmas. "You know how practical I am. We're just not ready."

"Is that what you call it?" Amelia asked. "It's just…" and her friend hesitated before saying, "It's just that you don't seem as happy as you did," and when Sookie looked away, Amelia rushed on to say, "But what do I know? You're probably just tired!"

"We're good," Sookie nodded, but that night as Breandan slept beside her, Sookie listened to her friends loving and laughing next door and she thought Amelia might be right.


	16. Chapter 15 - Finding Ground

**Chapter 15 – Finding Ground**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Breandan announced he'd cut back his hours at the hotel to spend more time with Amelia and Sean during their visit. They were all sitting together in the sunroom, eating breakfast and complimenting Sookie on her latest version of Irish brown bread. It was a welcome development as far as Sookie was concerned, but she found it bothered her she was just hearing about it now along with their guests. ' _Don't look a gift horse in the mouth!_ ' she scolded herself, ' _You were wondering how you'd entertain them all day by yourself. Now you don't have to worry about it!'_

The day was overcast, so they decided to make a late start of it and travel into Slievemore. Breandan was almost bubbling, "We can do some sight-seeing. Dinner will be at the hotel. Of course, you will be my guests, and then we will visit the local pubs for music." Having Amelia and Sean there seemed to bring the old Breandan back. He was the man she'd fallen in love with in Boston, happy and uncomplicated.

They had a marvelous time. Sean wasn't interested in the local museum, but Amelia indulged Sookie's curiosity while Breandan took Sean to start their pub crawl.

"You seem to like it here," Amelia observed as they read over an exhibit on early Irish Kings.

"I do," Sookie replied. "It's as if I've come home. I can't explain it, but everything here kind of seems familiar. Breandan tells me stories about Ireland and I just want to see all the places he talks about. You know, my Aunt Linda told me I can apply for dual citizenship since my grandmother was born here?"

"You're kidding!" Amelia's eyes widened. "That is so cool! My ancestors came from here, too, or at least some of them. Do you think I could get citizenship, too?"

Sookie explained what she had learned. "I think it's only back to your grandparent, but there's a process." 

"So, how far have you gotten?" Amelia quizzed.

"I haven't started," Sookie confessed. "I know!" she said before Amelia could start on her, "I've been here for weeks, but…"

"Don't worry about it!" Amelia lifted her chin and had that _'I'm taking charge_ ,' look. "I'm sure all that Breandan loving turned your brain to mush! Anyone that good-looking has got to be talented! Anyway, I'm here and this would be an awesome project! We'll get you all settled and when you become rich and famous, I'll always have the coolest place to visit!"

"I don't want you wasting your vacation doing paperwork!" Sookie protested, but Amelia was having none of it.

She walked right over to the woman behind the information desk and announced, "My friend is thinking about applying for dual citizenship. We're from the U.S."

"I could tell by the accent," the woman behind the desk might have been laughing, or laughing at them, Sookie couldn't tell. She confirmed the rules and Sookie assured her that her grandmother had been born in Ireland. "Well, there's a computer terminal set up for visitors such as yourself. It links you to the General Registry Office. You'll need some documentation for your grandmother, her birth certificate and a marriage registration, if she was married here. You can look up the list of documents you'll need at the Foreign Birth Registry website. That's on the computer, too."

Amelia grabbed Sookie's arm and pulled her toward the computer. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Sookie asked again.

"Are you kidding? This is so cool! Consider it my late Christmas present," and Amelia's fingers flew. A half-hour later, they had an intimidating list of documents they'd need to acquire, but the General Registry Office had a copy of a civil wedding certificate for Adele Clare Hale and they'd printed it.

"Niall O'Hara," Sookie read the name of the groom and she got an uneasy feeling.

"You think he's related to Breandan?" Amelia asked.

"It's a small country," Sookie answered evasively.

They hadn't been able to locate a birth certificate, though, and that seemed to be a pretty big deal. They knew from the wedding certificate that Adele had lived in Carreigh. Together, they walked over to the map and found the town. It was located some distance to the south. "It just seems odd," Sookie told Amelia. According to her birthday, Adele's birth certificate should be in the Registry. I wonder why we can't find it?"

"Let's ask the helpful information lady," Amelia smirked, looking back at the woman who had directed them to the computer.

Sookie didn't think it likely the woman could help them, but she was surprised. The museum worker nodded, "Your friend is right. It's not common." She looked at the wedding certificate and the dates. "Carreigh is to the South," she commented, "In Kerry. Things move a little differently down there. It could be there was something unusual about your Grandmother's birth, something that kept it from being registered the usual way."

"Like being born at home?" Amelia suggested.

The woman laughed, "It would have been uncommon not to be born at home!" she explained. "No, there could be something else."

Sookie thought of her Father's birth certificate. The Father's name was blank, but she was holding a wedding certificate in her hand. "What if she was illegitimate?" she asked.

"Aye," the woman nodded. "That could do it. Carreigh is still a farming place and in those days, the local priests wouldn't have been keen to have a girl under their protection ending up in the family way. They might have pressured her to give the child up and if she didn't, they could refuse to baptize it or add it to the Church rolls."

"But she had to have some kind of record," Amelia protested. "After all, we know she was married, so…"

"You could try the Church there," the woman told them. "It's a bit of a drive, but the Church record would do the trick if that's the case."

"And you think the priest would have a record of it?" Sookie didn't like the idea of inconveniencing her friend, but the idea of seeing the place her Grandmother grew up was beginning to take hold.

"You'll have to ask nicely, but most are accommodating when it comes to Americans. He might even hand the book over to you, but you should be prepared to spend some time there. Nothing like spending the night and dropping some money in the pub to make things go easier."

"We've got to go!" Amelia was practically hopping up and down in her excitement. "We could make an overnight of it! I bet there's some charming little inn down there and we could all bunk up…"

"I don't want to do this with Breandan." It just popped out. Sookie couldn't explain it, but she knew she didn't want to tell him.

"What's going on?" Amelia asked and she dragged Sookie further away from the Information Desk. "You two are having problems, aren't you?"

"No… maybe." Sookie shrugged, "It's like the old Breandan is back with you here. Maybe it's because he's back to work. Maybe he was always like this. Maybe it's just the stress of settling back into a routine." Sookie stopped and took a deep breath. "I'm probably making too much of things. You know what this is? It's that first rough spot all couples get. My Mother always told me I was a questioner and maybe I'm just making a mountain out of a molehill, but something is telling me that sharing this won't make things between Breandan and me easier. I want to do this, but I'd rather tell him after it's done."

"You do hold yourself to some pretty high standards, girlfriend," Amelia teased, trying to lighten things up. "I'm sure he'll be flattered when he finds out. I wonder how long this will take? I'd love to see the expression on his face when you show him your new passport!"

For some reason, Sookie found herself remembering the night Breandan thought she purposely tried to get pregnant. He looked so feral, eyes shining and teeth bared, and the thought of it almost made her shudder. "Yeah," she made herself smile instead, "he sure gets some interesting expressions."

They caught up to their guys in a pub about mid-way up the hill. The men were already feeling fairly frisky and the women were soon caught up in their teasing. One pub led to the next, and then they broke for dinner. The hotel was expecting them and they were shown into the informal dining area. They held off on drinks and the food started to arrive. There was a chowder followed by mutton and a medley of root vegetables. Everything was wonderful and they were deciding on dessert when Mae approached the table.

"These must be your friends from America," she spent no time pulling up a chair, inviting herself to the party.

Sookie struggled to keep her smile in place. Sean seemed immediately captured by her, but Amelia held back and assessed the other female. Mae leaned closer to Breandan, reaching for a piece of bread from the table, and her fingers seemed to accidentally brush across Breandan's arm in the process.

"What are you up to, Mae?" Sookie asked. The words came out a little more sharply than she'd intended and she could see Breandan's reaction. It was as though he was actually taking time decide which side to take and Sookie felt her temper rising.

"We'll be leaving soon," he told Mae, "but our friends are here for the better part of the month." He took the time to formally introduce them, and then said, "I'm sure you have duties. We wouldn't want to keep you from them."

Sookie watched Mae's displeasure register on the face that slid under her masque. Mae's eyes slid toward her and she made sure Sookie saw her stroke Breandan's leg before saying, "I really just came by to let you know you have an old friend arriving. I expect him any time."

Breandan's eyes narrowed, "That's good to know," he nodded, but then moved away from Mae, making clear it was time for her to go.

"She's a man-eater," Amelia teased once Mae was across the restaurant.

"She's a cousin," Sookie volunteered.

"I had a cousin like that," Sean laughed. "I spent just about every holiday hiding from her. I think she fucked half the men in my family before she was done," and he blushed before saying, "No offense!" to Breandan.

"None taken," Breandan replied. "I guess there's one in every family." He made a point of taking Sookie's hand in his and raised it to his lips. "Unfortunately, interacting with Mae comes with the job, but once we are living here, she'll be spending most of her time with Sookie and I know my beautiful, American girl will put her in her place!"

"Just don't kill her until you become a citizen," Amelia laughed. "That way they can't kick you out of the country!"

Breandan's eyes narrowed, but Sookie intercepted her friend's gaffe by saying, "Then I guess I better take up religion and start praying because it may be a little while before Breandan and I decide to get married and that woman is looking for a beat down right now!"

It was inevitable that they ended up at Ghoul's Kiss. The sound of music could be heard coming down the alley and Sean wouldn't be stopped. The musicians gathered in front of the stage. They were surrounded by instruments and Sean said, "I can't believe I didn't bring my mandolin with me!"

"We have house instruments." It was Pam. She was wearing a spectacular black dress, far too formal for a pub in Slievemore, but she didn't flaunt herself. Instead, she indicated a bank of instruments on stands near where the band was playing.

Sean didn't need to be asked twice. His eyes were bright with drink and he kissed Amelia, then made a beeline for a mandolin, calling out, "Come on, Breandan! Let's show them how it's done!"

It was a foolish challenge for anyone to make in such a very American accent. Breandan barely hesitated before following Sean, lifting a fiddle from its carriage. Sookie was sure she heard someone behind her whispering, "It's an O'Hara!" in a way that sounded impressed and soon enough, they all were.

Sean was good, but Breandan was better than they'd ever seen him. He played with real fire and his fingers flew. The music was brisk and feet were tapping. Amelia stood and pulled Sookie up with her. They started to dance and within minutes, the tables were pushed back and everyone seemed to be rising, forming sides, and dancing to the music. As she swung in the arms of another stranger, she found herself looking around for Eric. There was no reason to be searching for him. She was here with her boyfriend, still, her eyes searched.

"Are you looking for me?" She had been looking so intently she hadn't seen him step into the line, but she was twirling in Eric's arms, and then he physically picked her up, twirling her above the floor.

"I wasn't," Sookie lied, but she was sure he could feel her heart hammering against her chest, and then the line moved and she was twirling in the arms of another.

It seemed hours they danced, the music carrying them on. Sookie found herself in Eric's arms several more times and each time, he teased her in some way.

When the band took a break, drinks were sent to their table. "You were wonderful!" Amelia gushed to Sean, stroking his sweaty face.

"I could listen to you all night," Sookie told Breandan and inspired by the shots of whiskey, she leaned over and kissed him like they were all alone.

Amelia whooped and Sookie pulled back, blushing, but not really embarrassed. Breandan's eyes were shining and he leaned in, but before his lips connected, they were interrupted by a tall, black-haired man. "Is this what you've been up to? I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!"

Breandan reacted as if he'd been doused with cold water. His eyes flew to the man and he sat back abruptly. The pleasure that had lit his face was gone, replaced now by a sudden wariness. "Claude! Mae told me you were in town. I'm sure you're just traveling through."

Claude's eyes were taking in first one and then another of the companions. His lip was curled and he seemed poised to make some unpleasant remark when Pam appeared. "I thought it was you," She inserted herself between Claude and the table. "I thought you understood you're not welcome in our establishment."

"That was Carrack," Claude snipped. "This is a different place."

"Same name, same club," Pam leveled a poisonous stare at Claude. "Eric told you not to come back. You know the consequences."

"You are here by sufferance!" Claude sniped. It was escalating, so Breandan stood.

"Cousin, it appears your prior behavior hasn't been forgotten. It's good to see you. I'm assuming you're staying at the hotel," and Breandan took Claude's arm as though to escort him out.

"You're not?" Claude pulled back. "Then where…" and his eyes zeroed in on Sookie. She'd never met him, but she could see the face beneath the face and it was venomous. "You're at the cottage." It was a statement and Sookie realized that Claude was another of Breandan's lovers.

"Mae is in town. Have you seen her?" Breandan kept talking, yanking Claude's arm harder to get him moving. Pam remained standing beside the table, her arms crossed, and Sookie's eyes traveled to the bar where she knew Eric was standing. He seemed to be staring directly at her and she realized just seeing him there made her feel better, but then she realized what she was doing and pulled herself back.

Breandan had Claude most of the way to the door. "Who is he?" Amelia was asking Sookie.

"Mae mentioned him before," Sookie answered. "I think he's another of Breandan's cousins." She kept her back straight and plastered her smile in place. She watched the door, but then one minute stretched into another. The band started to play and Sean held back, waiting for Breandan, and then he didn't.

Finally, Amelia rose, saying, "This is ridiculous!" She marched out the front door and glanced around the street. There were a few pedestrians, but no Breandan.

"Sookie deserves better!" she mumbled under her breath and walked toward the far road. She was passing an alley when she heard a noise and that's when she saw them. Breandan had Claude against the brick wall of the building. The noise she'd heard had been a moan, the two men entangled with each other. "What the fuck!" she said.

Breandan broke away, but it was Claude whose eyes captured hers. She remembered his saying, "You don't know what you saw," and then she felt as if things became a bit blurry.

The next thing she remembered, she was seated beside Sookie again. Sean and Breandan were playing and Sookie was asking if she'd be up for more dancing. "There was something I wanted to tell you," Amelia said out loud, but when she tried to find the words, they seemed to dance away from her as quickly and nimbly as the music being played.

They all spent that first week together. There was a trip to Dublin and another to Limerick. They enjoyed each other's company, exploring stores and the occasional castle. It was cold, but not as cold as Boston. Then, the second week ended and they found themselves left to their own devices.

Breandan had made a point of teaching Sookie to drive properly, on the left, so they had his car for their adventuring. Amelia wanted to see the Cliffs of Moher and that prompted more general driving across the countryside, looking for monuments and views.

It was more than halfway through the second week when Sean said, "I hate to ask, but I have some work I need to get started for next term. It's the write-up on my internship and I was thinking, if you gals still want to drive to Carreigh, I'll make arrangements to stay in town while you do it."

Sookie had been thinking often about Carreigh, wondering what they'd find there, and Amelia latched onto the idea right away. They spent less than an hour searching for bed and breakfasts in the area, calling the first one with decent reviews. "I'm not usually open this time of year," the woman told them, "but you'd be welcome," and so it was arranged.

"Overnight?" Breandan asked at dinner.

"I'm dying to see the southern part of the country," Amelia jumped in. "Sean's sick of landscapes and besides, he really needs to get some work done. It will just be the one night and think how grateful we'll be when we return!" Amelia batted her eyes at Sean who leaned in to capture her lips.

Sookie couldn't help thinking that this couple had known each other longer than she and Breandan, but the easy affection still flowed between them. For his part, Breandan took her hand. "It will be the first night you aren't in my bed since Boston," he said softly.

He said the words in a way so heartfelt that Sookie felt her breath catch and she chided herself for comparing her relationship to any other. Her Breandan was ancient and wonderful, talented and hers, so she opened her heart to him as she said, "I'll miss you, too."

That night, Breandan's lovemaking was tender and Sookie returned the favor. It was sweet and consuming, and even if Breandan didn't declare himself hers anymore, it was still wonderful. "Tell me you love me," he asked as he lay across her, stroking her stomach.

"To the stars and back," she replied and that seemed to be enough.

The ride to Carreigh was long. It wasn't the distance, but the roads that morning were icy and driving along the narrow mountain ways seemed especially treacherous. Amelia started singing in lieu of white-knuckling and when she was especially scared, she fell into show tunes. Soon, the two of them were belting out "Oklahoma" at the top of their lungs, hoping they would make it off the mountains without sliding off an edge or rolling down a hill.

By noon, they were through the mountains and motoring around rolling hills, once more hugging the coast in their search for Carreigh. They found it tucked inland hidden behind two missed turns and one impossibly long wait behind a tractor. It was nestled between green hills that became more barren the higher they rose. There were sheep in this part of the country and the fields surrounding the town were dotted with them, grey and shaggy with bright colors painted on their backs.

The B&B was easy to find. It was just one in the cluster of buildings at the crossroads. "Won't have to search for the Church," Amelia laughed. It was sitting directly across the street; a tall, dark building with a graveyard to one side trailing down the hill beside it.

Their hostess was a broad-shouldered woman named Christine. She welcomed them at the door and shuttled them quickly up the stairs. "The room below is where I serve breakfast," she informed them. Their room was near the top of the stairs and had two full-sized beds and its own bathroom. "Now, you settle in and I'll bring some tea up for you in a half-hour." She handed them a card with information about the place including the Wi-Fi password and left them alone.

"Do you think we can get lunch around here?" Amelia checked the card, but there wasn't information about restaurants.

"We can ask Christine when she brings tea," Sookie shrugged. "In the meantime, let's get unpacked."

It didn't take long. They hadn't planned on staying more than one night but, after the drive they'd had, Amelia announced she was taking a hot shower. She emerged in time to pull on clothes and join Sookie and Christine in the small sitting area next door. Their hostess had brought a tray with a teapot and three cups along with two plates of cut cakes.

Sookie's face was beaming as she said, "Christine was telling me that during the warmer months, she's full up. This inn is on one of the national marked trails and people come from all over the world to hike here."

"Hiking!" Amelia said sarcastically, making a point of looking at her fingernails, "Sounds like a blast!"

"Even you would like this kind of hiking," Sookie told her, and then turned to Christine.

"It's a good system," and their hostess went on to describe how hikers walked from one town to the next, staying at a different B&B every night. "And there's companies that come and move your luggage for you," she told them. "That way all you need do is carry your lunch and water and enjoy the view."

"Sounds up your alley," Amelia told Sookie and it did. Sookie could imagine the countryside she'd see, traveling from marker to marker.

"But you're not here for walking," Christine gave them a pointed look, and then waited.

"We're here to see if we can find Sookie's Grandmother's birth certificate," Amelia told the innkeeper. "We couldn't find it in the General Registry website and a woman in the museum in Slievemore suggested we come down here and ask the priest.

Christine looked at Sookie, "You're a fairly young woman. Could be there's some here who remember your Grandmother. What was her name?"

"Adele Hale," Sookie told her and both she and Amelia noticed the way Christine sat back. "What?" Sookie asked. "Do you know something about her?"

"You're related to her, you say?" Christine asked.

"Did she do something terrible?" Amelia was almost giddy with excitement. "Was there a reason she ran away to the United States?"

"Amelia!" Sookie warned.

"What?" Amelia shrugged, "You could be related to some thief or infamous character!"

"I wasn't even born when she left," Christine told them, "so I never heard the whole story. I doubt Father Balint across the way can tell you much more. He's new here, but he would be able to help you find your Grandmother's Certificate."

"Well, obviously, you heard something!" Amelia prompted, then leaned forward, saying "Come on! Don't keep us in suspense!"

"It's a foolish tale, but one that's been passed down as a warning to the children hereabouts," and Christine smiled and shook her head before saying, "Adele Hale was said to be stolen by the Fae. She was reckoned the most beautiful girl in the county and men came from miles around to court her, but it's said she lost her heart to a fairy prince. Her mother begged her to stay inside and lock her door, but she wouldn't listen, enthralled as she was, and one night he came riding over the hills on a horse, white and airy as any ghost, and Adele climbed up behind him and they rode away. The story goes that her fairy prince took her down into his fort, never to return."

"That's a great story!" Amelia told Sookie. "I wish I had that kind of story in my family tree!"

"Well," Sookie rolled her eyes at Amelia, "We know she must have come out of the fort at least once, because we have her marriage certificate and we know she ended up in Minnesota where she had my Father." Sookie sipped some tea before asking, "Do you think the priest might be available? It may take him a while to find things or he may have plans for tomorrow. I figure if we go over and introduce ourselves, it could get things rolling."

Christine agreed and she pointed out the sidewalk that led behind the Church to the priest's small house.

"By the way," Amelia asked Christine before they left, "is there a place nearby for lunch?"

"There's a lovely pub a few doors down," Christine told them, "but it won't be open until later. If you want, I can set you up with some sandwiches to hold you over until then."

Sookie thought of the cake they'd both devoured and was relieved when Amelia said, "No, that's all right," but she checked the time the pub would be open twice.

Father Balint was younger than either of them anticipated. He told them he was from a few towns over and happy to be in a parish close to home. "Near my family, but not too close," he winked. It was as Christine said. He was newly-assigned and didn't know much of the parish history. "But what you tell me doesn't surprise me. Father O'Neill was a priest cut from the old cloth. If there was something odd about your Grandmother's birth, he would have taken it as a personal insult done him by a member of his own parish and your Great-Grandmother would have been made the example of the parish."

"Small towns are pretty much the same everywhere you go," Sookie shrugged. She'd survived her share of small towns and she recognized the price of not fitting in.

"We can take a look in the book now, if you like," the Father offered and they walked into a small study lined with bookshelves. He confirmed the year of Adele's birth and pulled two volumes from a low shelf. "Now, this one," and he pointed to a thick leather volume, "is the official record of the parish. It would be where the births, deaths, and weddings were recorded. And this," and he pointed to a slimmer volume backed in cardboard, "is the record for the sinners. You see, that was how Father O'Neill saw things. Sinners didn't belong with the godly, even so much as to have their names in a book side by side." He winked, but Sookie didn't really see anything charming or amusing about it.

"Let's start with the sinner's book!" Amelia was having a fine time and she took the book carefully from the priest's hand and opened it on the large central table. The priest moved the lamp a little closer and soon Amelia and Sookie were leaning over the book, trying to decipher the old priest's spidery handwriting.

It took a while and some flipping of pages back and forth. It seemed Father was not so meticulous when it came to his record-keeping for those who were sure to be heading to hell and they soon figured out that some of the entries were not in sequence, but eventually Sookie found her. "Here!" and she pointed to the entry. It was just two lines:

Adele Hale b. May 2nd, 1923.

Mother – Colleen Hale. Father – Unknown.

"Does that mean she doesn't have a birth certificate?" Sookie asked.

"Most likely," Father Balint nodded. "It may seem harsh to you, but, at the time, these children of God were shunned. I'm sure Adele grew up to be fairly self-sufficient. Father would have seen that the good families of the parish didn't consort with her for fear that the contagion of sin would taint them, too."

"Explains why your Grandmother would run away," Amelia chuckled.

"I guess," Sookie nodded, and then asked the Father, "Do you think a copy of this would be enough to prove my Grandmother was born here?"

"Working on citizenship, then?" and Father nodded, "I can draw up some papers that should do the trick. Will you be around for another day? It's best to get them stamped and registered and I can do that in the morning."

Amelia and Sookie were surprised when they walked out to find a couple hours had passed and it was dark and much colder. "Suppose that pub is open now?" Amelia nudged Sookie and they walked down in the direction Christine had indicated.

The light was on and the door was unlocked when they pulled it. There was a man behind the counter and a woman standing before him. "Dinner or drinking?" she asked.

"Both!" Amelia told her and they were seated in a cozy booth near the fire.

There was a shellfish in pastry on the menu as an appetizer and they both ordered it as well as the stew with Guinness. There was plenty of bread on the side and they chose to wash dinner down with a local beer. "You think we should order a couple shots?" Amelia asked. "After all, it's cold out there and we'll need all the warming we can get before we head back to Christine's."

"Perhaps you'd let me buy the round for you?" It was a tall, black-haired woman. She was beautiful and Sookie could see she was Fae.

"This is without a doubt the nicest country ever!" Amelia announced, then, "I will be right back!" She got out of the booth and headed to the Ladies Room sign.

Sookie stared up at the woman who stared right back. "You can see what I am," the stranger said. Sookie nodded. "Good," the woman looked pleased. "That makes this all so much easier. I can see what you are, too. I must say, we don't get many of you around here."

"You mean hybrids," Sookie nodded. "I guess folks like me aren't exactly considered polite."

The woman's eyes widened, "Hybrid is a polite word. I'm surprised you heard it, but seeing us must have made you curious." The woman motioned for Sookie to move, so she should slide into the booth beside her. "I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm Claudine Brigant and you should know that I'm your cousin."

Sookie blinked, and then blinked again. "How do you figure that?" she stammered. She glanced toward the bathroom, hoping Amelia would take her time.

"Oh, don't worry about your friend!" Claudine laughed. It was a tinkling sound and reminded Sookie of bells. "She's suddenly discovered a desire to redo her makeup. She'll be busy for a while. You see, your Grandmother, Adele, married my Grandfather, Niall, according to human custom. I'm not sure whether your Grandmother had a boy or a girl…"

"My Father's name was Corbett," Sookie told this beautiful woman. Now is was Sookie's turn to ask questions. "Was my grandmother, Adele, Fae?"

Claudine laughed again. She seemed to like to do it, finding everything, especially Sookie, amusing. "Oh, no! Your Grandmother was very much human, but she was beautiful. She looked much as you do, although I only met her once. My Grandfather, Niall, he fell in love with her."

"Then, the Fae do fall in love?" The words just jumped out of her and Sookie realized she'd been wondering this question quite a bit over the last few weeks.

"It's rare," Claudine shrugged "The Fae live through time differently than you. Love locks us to one place or one person, so it takes real effort and a strong desire for that to happen for us."

"Sounds like love anywhere," Sookie told her, "regardless of the species," and then worried she'd offended Claudine, she said, "I didn't mean anything by calling us 'species.'"

"None taken," and Claudine was laughing again. "It's a convenient way to describe things. So, then, Corbett was Adele's child. Niall will want to know."

"Niall is alive?" and it was starting to occur to Sookie that Claudine was family, her family. Sookie had cousins here and a Grandfather.

"Of course, he's alive," Claudine nodded. "He didn't hope to ever see you again. He will be happy to know you are here."

"It just seems strange to think I have more family than I knew," Sookie told Claudine. "I grew up with just my Mom and Dad and my brother, Jason."

"Is Jason like you?" Claudine asked.

"In what way?" Sookie asked in return.

"You have the spark," Claudine's head tilted a little. "The magic of the Fae is strong within you."

"I don't think so," Sookie replied, "We always said Jason was more like my Mom and I was more like my Dad."

"And where is your family now?" Claudine asked. She seemed to lean a little closer, so Sookie shifted back.

"My parents are dead. Dad about eight years ago. Mom…" and a tear fell over Sookie's cheek. Claudine reached forward and lifted the tear, then placed it in her mouth. Her slanted eyes glowed briefly and Sookie was so surprised, all she could say was, "Oh, my!"

Claudia didn't seem to notice she'd done anything odd. "Niall will be unhappy to learn that. He doesn't speak of your Grandmother often, but he misses her. Your Father would have been my step-uncle, so that makes us cousins," and she leaned over and kissed Sookie's mouth. Sookie immediately felt wonderful, even more wonderful than Breandan made her feel.

"How do you do that?" Sookie couldn't help grinning. "Ever since I met you Fae folks, just touching you makes me feel like I'm growing things!" Sookie recovered a little, glancing around to see if they'd been observed, but no one was looking their way. "So, if Niall missed her, why didn't he come looking us? Why did my Grandmother leave Ireland? She changed her name. My Father always called her Grandma Clare and that's the name she used in Minnesota where my Dad grew up."

"It's a long story," Claudine answered somewhat evasively. "And not truly mine to tell."

"Well, the innkeeper told us one heck of story about my Grandmother being stolen away by the Fae and how some fairy prince took her away on the back of an enchanted horse," and Sookie rolled her eyes.

"The people here have long memories," Claudine laughed again, making Sookie wonder.

"Well, I guess seeing what I've seen, I shouldn't really doubt anything, then, should I?" and Sookie stared toward the Ladies Room again. "Breandan says…"

"And who is Breandan?" Claudine interrupted her

"Breandan O'Hara," Sookie told her. "My… well, I guess it's still boyfriend. I came to Ireland with him and we're living in Killary."

"Breandan O'Hara, the Fae Prince?" Claudine was sitting very still.

"He never said Prince exactly, but he said his Father's a King," Sookie shrugged, "but Breandan isn't like that. We met in Boston. He was there doing some business and we… well, we met and fell in love. When my Mom passed, he asked me to come home with him and now we're here in Ireland, living together."

"I see," Claudine told her. "This changes things. She pulled a card from her purse. "I want you to keep this in a safe place," she told Sookie. "I want you to remember I represent your family. The Fae protect their own and if you ever need anything, you must call me. I will help you if I can."

"You know Breandan," Sookie wasn't really asking.

"Of course," Claudine smiled, "There aren't that many of us. We all know each other. I don't mean to alarm you, it's just I'm surprised. Breandan never struck me as someone who would become involved with a…" and Claudine stopped, then cleared her throat, and looked embarrassed.

"If it helps, I think he's pretty surprised by it, too," Sookie was smiling, but she wasn't happy. "We're moving into town in another month. We'll be staying at his hotel in the manager's apartment. If you'd like to visit and get to know each other better, you know where to find me."

"You're attached to him?" and Claudine leaned forward, pressing her attention in that way Sookie had come to recognize.

"If you're thinking you can glamour me, you should just stop. That doesn't work on me and yes, I'd say I'm attached to Breandan. Like I told you, I love him," and Sookie looked at the Ladies Room. "Do you think you can release Amelia now? It's just embarrassing how long she's been in there!"

"Of course," Claudine continued to stare at Sookie. "Are there other things you can do, other magic?" she asked.

"I don't know exactly what you mean," Sookie answered pleasantly. She wanted to like this woman, but she'd seen enough here to know that sometimes even the nicest exteriors could hide evil intent and Sookie could tell there were some ill feelings between this person and Breandan.

Amelia joined them and Claudine nudged a shot toward Amelia. "You're behind," she told the woman, then waved her hand for another round.

"I don't think I should," Sookie stammered as the second set of shot glasses was set on the table.

"Why? Where are you driving? You're walking down the road in territory where you are under my protection. Enjoy yourself!" and Claudine lifted her whiskey and downed it in one gulp.

"Are you the mayor here or something?" Amelia asked.

"Something," Claudine answered. She turned back to Sookie as she rose from the table, "I am glad you have found your true love. Understand that Breandan's territory is different than mine. I can't explain it, but your family would not be welcome there. Do hold onto my card, though. As I told you, call and I will come to help you." Sookie was struck again by how tall Claudine was. She also noticed for the first time there was something familiar about her face.

"Do you have a brother?" she asked.

"Claude," Claudine nodded before turning and leaving.

"So, who was she?" Amelia asked.

"She says she's my cousin," Sookie answered. She pulled Claudine's card from her purse and looked at it. It was a heavy cream paper and it didn't have much writing. Just 'Claudine Brigant' and a phone number. With a sigh, Sookie ripped it in two, and then ripped it across again. "She told me my family isn't welcome to Slievemore? Then what is Claude doing there? No one aside from the folks at Ghoul's Kiss seemed upset about seeing him."

Amelia nodded, "I wouldn't want to trust anyone related to Claude either!"

There was something in the way Amelia said it that prompted Sookie to ask, "What did Claude do to you?" Amelia opened her mouth to say, but realized she couldn't remember.


	17. Chapter 16 - Chasint the Rain

**Chapter 16 – Chasing the Rain**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"I feel like I should be bringing you home with me," Amelia whispered, her arms wrapped around Sookie, holding her close. Breandan had stayed in Slievemore, leaving Sookie to drive the couple to the airport.

"This is my home now," Sookie reassured her.

"The wedding is in July. I expect you to be there!" Amelia pressed. "No excuses!"

"You know I'll do my best," Sookie nodded. "I'll tuck away my money. A plane ticket doesn't cost that much. Just save me a place to sleep."

"Tell Breandan goodbye for us," Sean was peeling Amelia from Sookie's arms, herding her toward the gates. "Really, thank you! It was the best!"

Sookie stood in the airport lobby until she couldn't see her friends anymore. When Amelia finally stepped past the wall and out of view, Sookie experienced an almost overwhelming sense of loneliness. She talked to herself, reminding her ratcheting anxiety that she'd been in these places before and this was just her emotions taking charge. Still, even with slow breathing and focusing on the floor tiles, it took a long time to get her feet to move.

Tomorrow, Breandan intended to move them both to The Grand Hotel. There would be one day to settle in, and then Sookie's lessons in running an establishment boasting fifty rooms and two restaurants would begin. When Sookie asked Breandan questions, trying to get a sense of what to expect, he'd deflect. "Enjoy your time with your friends!" he'd say, dismissing her worries. "It will be all work for you soon enough!"

Now, with nothing ahead but unknowns, Sookie started to doubt her courage. "You can do this!" she said out loud, earning her a startled look from a woman walking past, so when the woman literally stepped aside, placing space between Sookie and herself, it made Sookie laugh!

"Damn straight!" she said out loud again, "I'd give me room, too!"

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Tell me again, Brother, how your son found her," Niall was sitting in the restaurant in Carrick. His hair was neatly pulled back, his hand restlessly turning the curved head of his cane back and forth.

"Purely luck," Rogan smiled tightly. He knew Niall didn't believe him, but he didn't expect it. Telling his brother stories and making Niall work for the truth was part of Rogan's enjoyment. "Breandan was in Boston on business and there she was! He tells me she approached him. Had I realized she was Adele's kin…"

"Stop your lying!" Niall hissed. "You found her. You have her. I am told this girl, Sookie, is in thrall to Breandan." It wasn't true, it couldn't be. Claudine told him that Sookie was immune to glamour, but he needed to see how far Rogan was willing to go.

"Alas!" Rogan sighed. "All true! You know how susceptible the non-Fae can be." Rogan didn't bother hiding his satisfied smile. "He uses her with her full consent. Breandan tells me she is quite amenable to his every request. Have you seen her picture?"

Of all the things Rogan had anticipated for today, having his brother show up in his office was not among them. Rogan had planned on telling Niall, but not just yet. There was something troubling about the arrangement between Breandan and Sookie. Rogan couldn't quite put his finger on it, which was why he had determined to wait until Mae sent her assessment. The couple was scheduled to move into the Hotel within days, but now Niall had found out, so the more formal plan would have to be abandoned.

' _How did he find out?_ ' It was the question that kept pushing to the forefront. It could only mean one thing. Someone in Killary or Slievemore had informed his Brother, but who? As Rogan pushed the buttons on the device, opening the screen, he ran over the possibilities. It would have had to have been someone with both knowledge and contacts and when Rogan framed it that way, the list of possible traitors became shorter.

Rogan thought it possible Niall had seen a photograph of the girl, but he hoped it was not the case. He thumbed through images until he came to the sequence of photos Mae sent him. They showed Breandan and Sookie together. Mae had described how she staged the photo shoot. There were pictures of Sookie staring up at Breandan and several of Breandan tickling her, but with the angle and her expression, Sookie looked to be in pain.

Niall's reaction was even better than Rogan hoped. He audibly moaned. Rogan had been certain Sookie was a doppelganger for her Grandmother and now, he knew he was right. "She's under my sword," Rogan hissed, leaning forward to wrench the phone from Niall's hand.

"Why are you doing this?" Niall asked.

"You robbed me of my revenge, Brother! You left me unable to extinguish the anguish I feel and now, you will know my agony! You will know that this woman," he thrust the picture at Niall again, "is in my territory. Breandan can make her dance to any tune. He can make her life pleasant or he can make her life hell. Look at her!

"What do you want?" Niall asked, his chin sunk into his chest, the picture of defeat.

"It should be obvious," Rogan purred. "I want you to know she's in danger and beyond your reach to help. Perhaps you thought abandoning them would keep them safe. Well, you were wrong! Your son died there. Did you know that?" and Rogan waited, allowing that blow to sink in. "I'm told he was quite handsome, but you'll never know. And your Adele? She never remarried. She died alone in some windy wasteland in the middle of their country. It made me wonder whether you'd lied to me all those years ago about loving her, but I see now you didn't."

"So, it that it?" Niall asked. "This is about making me suffer?"

"It seems too easy, doesn't it?" Rogan purred. "We both know revealing her would create schisms among your people. It's one thing to take them as lovers, Brother, but another thing altogether to create freaks with them. Suffering is good, but you will need to pay me as well. We'll call it boarding fees for keeping your dirty secret."

Rogan was triumphant, announcing his intention to send along his demands through Niall's main office. For his part, Niall played along but, as he walked back to his car, his mind sifted through the words that were said and the lies that were told.

Claudine told him that Sookie declared her love for Breandan. The consent born of love was a powerful tie. It would hold her within Rogan's dominion for as long as she believed it. What was more telling was what Rogan hadn't offered. It would have been to his benefit to crow about her magical tendencies. Hybrids were an embarrassment, but hybrids with any trace of the spark were worse. With their almost total inability to procreate, any offspring from the wrong side of the gene pool was taken as a slap in the face by the Fae. There were some who were beginning to argue the Fae had to bend their pride and embrace cross-species breeding or face extinction, but those voices were still too few.

Niall knew if Sookie were to be found and it were to turn out that her powers were substantial, Rogan was right. He could see revolution within his own kingdom. It was a puzzle. She was in danger with Rogan, but, in some ways, until Niall could come up with a plan, there was nowhere his Granddaughter was safer.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie's days started by crawling out of a warm bed. Breandan didn't go on duty until after lunch, but he didn't return to their room until midnight. He explained it was better this way. Sookie would have a chance to learn without being distracted by him, but it also meant that they no longer had breakfast together or dinner. She met Breandan for lunch, most often in the employee dining room downstairs, removing any chance for privacy.

At first, Sookie tried to stay up until Breandan got off duty. They'd make love and she'd slip into sleep with his arm draped over her, but she found she was so tired in the morning, she would shuffle through things, making mistakes. The first time she slept through his getting into bed, she felt guilty. She asked him to wake her when he got in, just so they could talk a little, but even that didn't really work and after a week, they gave up.

They did get weekends, though. Both Friday and Saturday were their days. Sookie asked Breandan to take her into the country that first weekend. It was a frigid February morning. There had even been a little snow, but Sookie was so happy to be away from town, out in the open, crisp air and she could see Breandan felt the same way. They took a long ride, stopping and tramping around, looking for good views or historic landmarks. They found a pub for lunch and that night, instead of returning to the hotel, they went to the cottage in Killary and made love all night in front of the peat fire.

"I miss you," Sookie told him as dawn stole through the windows.

"This is harder than I thought," he replied.

Then Monday came and Sookie once more pulled on pantyhose, pushed up her hair, and strapped on her best smile for the slow trickle of guests who found their way to Slievemore in the dead of winter.

The work wasn't hard. Learning registration was easy and check-out was a snap. The Hotel's system was only recently computerized, so part of every day was spent typing in the names of guests and their stays from past seasons into registers and reports, so The Grand could track regular visitors. Then, there was housekeeping. Sookie spent an hour or more every day shadowing the housekeeping staff, learning what was expected in turning down a room and that standard expected in freshening up after they left.

Sookie's favorite time was spent in the kitchens. Preston Pardloe, the Assistant Manager and Sookie's nemesis, was critical of any time she spent there. "You will never be a chef, so why waste our time? You can barely put one foot in front of the other without tripping. Our kitchens require artistry, not your brutish manners!"

Sookie assumed Preston was gay and a bottom. He was bitchy from the word 'go' and there was nothing she could do that would ever be good enough for him. He picked apart her appearance, her gait, and the way she smiled. He was brutal about her accent, switching to Gaelic whenever possible to cut her out of the conversation. At first, Mae was Preston's confederate, but Sookie's willingness to fight fire with fire had won Mae's grudging approval.

As Sookie walked out from the back hall into the lobby, Preston was waiting for her. "Do you even pick your feet up off the floor? We don't clomp around here! You're not on your farm, Clod-Hopper!" Preston sniped.

"What's wrong, Preston?" Sookie shot back. She made a point to add her sweetest smile before saying, "Have a little trouble with your eyeliner this morning? I can understand it might be hard to get right, seeing as your head's so far up your ass!" Mae, who was standing next to the desk laughed, and then caught herself.

Mae might have been all right if she didn't make it so obvious she considered Sookie to be some kind of infection. At times, her efforts not to physically touch Sookie were almost comical, but Sookie was learning to ignore it. She'd called Mae out on what she was doing and Preston heard about it. For days, he gleefully dropped things just short of handing them to Sookie, laughing at her attempts to catch them before they dropped. Finally, Sookie decided to stop playing and just let a heavy dinner plate drop. It exploded, sounding like a gunshot when it hit the floor. It was after lunch, so Breandan was on duty and he came out of the office to see what happened. Preston ended up the worse for the encounter, but Sookie wasn't fooled. She knew it just fueled the Assistant Manager's hatred for her.

"They have a hard time accepting anyone new," Breandan told Sookie later. "You are American and you are acknowledged as my woman," and he gave her his boyish grin. "Preston is an ass, but our guests love him. Just wait him out. He'll stop!"

Breandan remained Sookie's one bright spot. He made a point of casually checking in from time to time, letting her know he was thinking of her. During those first days, when both Preston and Mae had been so cruel, he would turn up unexpectedly, presenting her a flower or some small treat. "You are magnificent," he told her or "You are doing well. Just be yourself!" It kept her from breaking.

And things did settle down. Sookie became a favorite with the human staff and even some of the Fae began to warm toward her. If Mae was a frenemy, there were others who were actually kind, but Sookie came to realize that the kindness was as much about her being Breandan's as it was for being herself and that put a damper on any thoughts of real friendship.

Sookie spent that first month sitting at the small table in the manager's apartment she shared with Breandan, eating dinner alone. When that became too much, she tried eating in the employee's dining room. Most of the people she worked with during the day had already left by the time she was eating dinner. Sookie didn't know the night shift and they didn't know her, so eating with the employees was just as lonely.

Finally, Sookie decided to start eating dinner in town. At least in the pubs she was surrounded by people who were laughing and more often than not, would start a conversation. In a way, it was inevitable she gravitated to The Ghoul's Kiss.

Sometimes the music had started by the time she arrived, but most often it was quiet. Pam was still in town and she started to join Sookie at her table. After the second time this happened, Pam said, "I think I'm starting to like you, Stackhouse!"

"Well, don't look so surprised!" Sookie answered and from that evening on, Sookie didn't go anywhere else for dinner. Some nights Eric joined them, but most nights he stayed behind the bar, watching his bartenders and his business. When Sookie caught him staring at her, she would smile and wave.

"You shouldn't encourage him," Pam told Sookie one evening after she'd flashed the vampire a smile. It was almost March and the weather was wet now. Although the temperature wasn't as cold as February, the rain brought with it a raw wind, the kind that chilled you to the bone.

Sookie was shoveling chowder and wrapping her hands around the bowl. There was something about being inside, eating warm food, and laughing with a friend that made Sookie's heart lighter, so she grinned as she answered, "I'm just being friendly. I don't mean anything by it."

"He knows that," Pam nodded. "Things between you and Breandan are well?" Pam didn't ask about Breandan often, so Sookie felt her defenses come up.

"Great!" she said a little too loudly. "Better than ever!" After that, Sookie tried harder not to flirt with Eric, though. Instead, she started asking Pam questions about the Fae.

There were things Pam would tell her, but there were other things she avoided. For example, she told Sookie about the way the Unseelie, of which she was one, viewed the Seelie. "We're rivals, you might say. There are more of us than there are of them, but unlike the Seelie, we're what you might call separate kingdoms. For example, we vampires? We have our own Kings and Queens. Selkies do, too, but leprechauns? They hold an annual gathering and elect leaders there, but once the gathering is over, so is their leadership. And Banshees? I've never heard of them organizing."

"Breandan said his Father was a King," Sookie fished.

"Rogan," Pam nodded, taking the bait. "He rules the northwest coast. His brother, Niall Brigant, rules most of the South."

Sookie started. She recognized the name Niall from her Grandmother's wedding certificate. "Are there many Brigants?" she asked.

"Why don't you ask Breandan these questions?" Pam scowled and Sookie realized she'd need to move to another topic.

"So, what's it like being a vampire?" she asked instead and was rewarded by Pam's lazy smile.

"The best!" her friend answered. "For one thing, there's the immortality. You'll never hear me complain about that! So, what if we have to move from time to time? Every day I wake up and I look like this! And no one orders me around…well… Except for Eric and he really doesn't do that anymore."

"Why would he order you?" Sookie asked. She couldn't help herself. Her eyes drifted to where he was standing. He really was handsome, the exact opposite of Breandan. Where Breandan had long, dark hair and those soulful brown eyes, Eric was blond with eyes of the truest blue. Where Breandan was lean, Eric had muscle, his chest broad and his arms defined.

"Stop eye-fucking him!" Pam shook her head. "He's my Maker."

Sookie's head snapped back to stare at Pam, "What does that mean?"

Pam stared at her nails, but she couldn't keep the small smile from playing around her lips, "It means he found me close to two hundred years ago and turned me into a vampire. He's freed me now, but he'll always be my Maker and that means there's a connection between us."

"Oh!" and Sookie thought about what Pam had just told her. "Oh, well, I guess I can understand why you're sensitive about me looking at him. I didn't mean to step on your territory. I didn't realize…"

"Relax!" and Pam laughed out loud. "You really are my favorite breather! I'm not jealous! I just care about him and I don't want to see him hurt. You belong to someone else."

"I do," Sookie nodded, then added, "Breandan," although it wasn't necessary. It occurred to Sookie that the reason she said it was to remind herself. It didn't help. The idea that Eric Northman was interested in her took hold and Sookie found that although she was in a committed relationship, her daydreams were starting to include the tall vampire.

It was almost April when Breandan announced he was being sent on a trip. "I thought my Father would insist I go away sooner," he told Sookie, holding her close, "but I told him I couldn't leave you yet."

"How long?" Things here were better here now, but Sookie wondered how Preston and Mae would behave without the threat of Breandan being nearby.

"Not long. Only a week. Father wanted me gone longer, but I told him I wouldn't." Breandan gathered her to him and kissed her. "I find I don't wish to wake up without you beside me," he whispered.

Sookie didn't care that she'd be late. She stroked him through his pants and they soon discovered that the table in their sitting area was plenty sturdy. "How do you do this to me?' he asked, turning her away from him and entering her again. "I am never so happy as when I'm in you." His voice was strangled and he slapped her cheek, which was a new development. It made Sookie clamp down on him and he grabbed her hair, but, at the same time he reached beneath her, rubbing her clit and the sensation of pleasure with just an edge of pain had Sookie tumbling, taking Breandan with her. He continued to massage with his fingers, moving slowly within her, draped across her back. The motion was making the table edge dig into her thighs, but Sookie didn't care.

"I love you," she gasped. "I'm going to miss you." By the time she got off work, he was gone.

That night as she sat at her table in Ghoul's Kiss, Eric walked over and sat down. "Where's Pam?" Sookie asked.

"She's in Carrack tonight. She'll be back tomorrow," and then Eric glanced at her dinner. Sookie was pushing it around the plate with her fork. "Is something wrong? Would you like something else?"

"No," Sookie smiled. "I guess it's just a traveling night for some folks."

"I heard Breandan left town," Eric told her. He just said it, but the way he was staring at her made it sound like more of a question.

"Business trip," Sookie nodded. "Just a week, still, it's the first time we've been apart for this long."

"You are connected to him…" Eric nodded.

"In love with him?" Sookie clarified, then without waiting for an answer added, "Yeah, I guess I am."

"You don't sound enthusiastic about it," and Eric raised his eyebrow, almost as though he was laughing at her.

"Being left alone in Hotel Hell with Team Hospitality? No, not too enthusiastic," and Sookie found her good humor returning.

"Are they really that terrible to you?" Eric asked.

"No, not really," Sookie told him. "They were pretty snarky at first, but we've all come to an understanding."

"I'll bet you've put them in their place," Eric was smiling. "I can't see you remaining silent and suffering."

"I can hold my own," Sookie agreed, finding her appetite had returned. "This fish really is good," she told him.

"My cook will be pleased," Eric said solemnly, then, "What will you do with your free time while Breandan is away?"

"How come I think you have some suggestions?" Sookie found herself flirting, but then, remembering Pam's words said, "Seriously? I'm working on getting my citizenship and there's some paperwork I have to get finalized."

Eric looked surprised, "What does Breandan say about that?"

"I don't really know," Sookie shrugged, "I didn't tell him I was doing it."

Eric didn't question her further, but his posture as he leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed, spoke volumes. "What?" she finally asked.

"I'm just wondering why you are keeping things from the man you love," Eric shrugged.

Sookie felt caught out, "I wanted it to be a surprise," she lied. Folding her napkin on the table, she stood, "I should really be getting back. It's late and the forecast is calling for more rain."

Eric stood, "I'll walk you back," he said. Sookie was about to protest, but the vampire's mouth was set in a straight line. "I'll be right back," he called to the bartender and took Sookie's arm.

"I'm not a child!" she protested, pulling her arm away. Still, when Eric gestured the opposite direction they usually took, Sookie followed. "Where are we going?" she asked as they turned the far corner.

"There are fewer people on these streets," Eric told her. "Fewer people to see me walking with you."

They were passing a little park Sookie remembered seeing once. There was a tall tree in the middle, surrounded by benches and bricks and Sookie stepped toward the tree, determined to read the plaque set near it. It was in both English and Gaelic and identified this as the site of the town hanging tree. Without thinking, Sookie shuddered.

"How are you really doing, Sookie?" Eric was standing well behind her, but she heard him perfectly. It occurred to Sookie that it had been a long time since anyone had asked her about herself and it struck her dumb. When the silence between them stretched, Eric broke it again. "Are you happy here?"

The tear that slipped over her cheek came from nowhere. She didn't consider herself unhappy, but she hadn't dared explore this question. Sookie drew a deep breath and centered herself, dashing the tear, and the one that followed. "I don't know why I'm doing this! I have no good reason and I'm no crybaby." 

Eric stepped closer, "I won't deny your tears make me uncomfortable," he told her. His hand reached out and seemed to encase the entire side of her face. For a large man, his touch was unexpectedly gentle. "You just lost your mother," he said softly. "You have moved to a new place where you know no one. I think you're entitled to your tears."

Then Sookie kissed him. She reached up, pulled his face toward hers, and he willingly came. It wasn't a friendly peck either. Maybe it was the combination of hearing words that sounded as if this man genuinely cared about her, a man who also happened to have a killer body or maybe it was something else, but Sookie couldn't fool herself later about who initiated it. She did.

His arms were around her and she was nipping his lip, and then she was sucking a tooth she realized was a fang! Eric seemed pretty happy about this development, if the log pressing against her was any indication, then her good sense kicked in. She shoved away from him, "Oh, my God! I am so sorry! I don't know what came over me. This was… It was really unfair of me. I'm sorry!"

For the first time Sookie saw Eric's fangs extended and she didn't find it upsetting, not at all. If anything, that small, stupid voice that made her look at every handsome man was ringing the bell, calling for seconds. Instead, Sookie clasped her hands behind her back and took a step away from him. "I should get back."

"I'll walk you," Eric offered. He didn't look upset. His fangs retracted with an audible snap.

"That's okay," Sookie stumbled. The more she thought about what happened, the more upset she became. "This was a mistake. I don't know what I was thinking. I don't do this kind of thing. All I can tell you is I'm ashamed of myself and I apologize."

"There's no need," Eric assured her, giving her a flirty leer, "I'm happy to take advantage of any of your weak moments."

"That's what I mean," Sookie cried, even more miserable. "You think I was playing with you. I'm no player. I'm a one-man woman and I've just done something terrible."

"Go home, Sookie," Eric wasn't looking amused anymore. "You acted from some natural impulse, but soon you're going to convince yourself otherwise." His face was suddenly very close to hers and she could smell his wonderful fragrance, like sand and sea, "There's a reason you kissed me," he told her. "You should figure out why, and then come see me," and he turned on his heel and was gone.

Sookie walked the rest of the way back to the hotel in a daze. Preston was on duty at the front desk and she didn't react to his usual insult. Instead, she walked back to her apartment, locked the door, and ran a hot bath. As she sat, her arms wrapped around her knees, she made a number of resolutions. She would stop going to Ghoul's Kiss, she would stop searching for Eric Northman, and in the morning when her head was clear, she would think long and hard about why she'd been so quick to cheat on her boyfriend.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

When Breandan drove away from The Grand, his heart was in turmoil. This wasn't supposed to happen, and certainly not to him. When he agreed to take on this job, he thought it would be easy. Human women were simple, but, ultimately, boring. They giggled and fucked and soon became tiresome. For the first time, Breandan wondered if part of the reason he became so quickly bored with his former human lovers was because he had glamoured away their free will.

Sookie's independence was a powerful draw. She did unexpected things and she didn't easily agree to everything he wanted. It made her open-hearted way of loving all the sweeter because he felt he earned it.

When it was just the two of them in Boston, Breandan found he didn't notice that she wasn't fully Fae. The roundness of her face and the lack of clarity in her essence didn't matter. Instead, he noticed her sincerity and the purity of her feelings for him. She didn't hide from him, she didn't hold things back. Breandan's relationship with her wasn't a bargain to be struck or payment to be made. Instead, she gave herself in a way that stole his breath away. He couldn't see anything but her beauty.

And then, they came here.

Breandan had no illusions that the difference was of his own making. Sookie hadn't changed. She was the same woman, offering the same balance of generosity and humor. She still stood up to him, and then gave herself to him with abandon in a way that called to his heart, but he struggled to see the beauty and not the deficits. It was in the way Mae's lip curled when she saw Sookie or the way Preston stepped aside when she entered the room. It was in the sympathetic looks the other Fae gave him, murmuring about how hard it must be to do his Father's bidding.

At those times, most times now, he saw all her flaws. She laughed too loud and her nose was not quite straight. Her eyes weren't truly slanted and her body shape was rounded, not the long, lean lines of a true Fae. She had almost no magic that he could see. When she asked him about himself, something he'd found charming in America, it now sounded grasping, an inelegant attempt to connect with him.

But then Sookie would say something wonderful or he'd feel her, usually when he was buried within her and he'd forget his friends' objections. He'd allow himself to just be with her. ' _You're obsessed_ ,' he told himself, but he feared it was something much worse.

When they made love before he left, he almost broke down. He wanted to turn her around and take her in his arms. He wanted to confess what he was doing and beg her to run away with him, somewhere they wouldn't be found. They could live happily far from the Fae and he could forget he was Rogan's son and she was his Great-uncle's mistake. Then, his heart slowed and reality returned and he knew it would never work.

Claude made a point of hanging around when he knew Sookie wasn't. He teased and tempted, reminding Breandan of better, less complicated times. He made slighting comments about Sookie, too, but always framed as a compliment for Breandan. Claude lamented his own inability to fulfill his duties to his Father as Breandan now fulfilled his. He praised Breandan's persistence and his ability to put aside any natural distaste he would feel. He encouraged Breandan to consider rewarding himself for getting so far. "You deserve a break, a short one, to get your feet back under you," Claude crooned. "I can understand how unsettling this must be! Most assignments like this one are over already and you've put up with your project for months! She can't be glamoured? How tiring!"

It was tiring. Breandan felt most days as though he was exhausted, but he also knew it wasn't Sookie who made him feel that way. It was his own guilt. Sometimes that realization left him sad, almost depressed, but other days, it made him angry at her. Why couldn't she be like other humans? Why couldn't she just go along, sucking up his every word, and bending herself into knots to please him?

It was this turmoil that was behind Breandan's rejecting his Father's demand to start traveling in February. "She needs to form other attachments," Rogan insisted, but Breandan knew Sookie not making other friends here wasn't due to a lack of trying. Rogan insisted on having Mae in the hotel because he trusted her more than his own son to keep him informed. What Rogan failed to accept was that Mae couldn't set aside her prejudices and petty jealousy long enough to become the friend Sookie needed. If anything, Mae was amplifying Sookie's feeling of alienation, leaving her nowhere to turn but Breandan.

It was a vicious circle. Breandan knew he needed separation from Sookie if he was to return to the Fae he was, but he found himself unable to bear the idea of leaving her alone among people who would torment her.

Finally, he agreed to take a week away. He only told his Father he was manufacturing a trip, but that he wouldn't be going far. "I need a break," was the only explanation he offered.

And so, here he was, driving down familiar roads. He wanted to go farther away, perhaps Carrick, but, in the end, he was convinced to return to Killary. He pulled up to the little cottage, and then almost didn't get out of the car. He could see her face as she'd been that first day, her eyes alight with joy, running to the sea. They had been happy here. He had been happy.

The front door opened and Breandan knew it was too late. Claude was waiting inside.

When Breandan stepped through the door, he saw Claude seated in the living room. His cousin was already naked, his erection straining, a cock ring in place. He smiled in that way Breandan had seen more times than he could count and he held out his hand, saying, "Come to me, Lover, and let's help you remember who you truly are!"

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie sat at the small table in the manager's apartment, staring at the paper in front of her. 'Reasons to Stay' was written at the top of one column and 'Reasons to Leave' was at the top of the other. Top on the list of Reasons to Stay was Ireland. "I like it here," Sookie said out loud and then she wrote that down. She added other things like, 'Nothing back there for me' and 'Can earn money here.' Reasons to Leave included Mae, Preston Pardloe, and The Fae.

"Where do I put Breandan?" Sookie asked out loud. Breandan could be kind and funny, he made her feel wonderful and he was amazing in bed, but these days Breandan was often distant and Sookie saw the same expression on his face that she saw on the faces of the other Fae at the hotel. It made her feel bad about herself, "And no one who says they love you should make you feel that way!" she declared. She ended up compromising by writing his name straddling the line between the columns. "Which says something," she sighed.

Sookie got up and dressed. She walked through her duties, but her mind kept returning to the list on her table. Sookie pulled out her phone and checked it. Breandan had been gone since yesterday and Sookie thought he'd at least text her, but nothing.

"What's wrong with you?" Mae was suddenly standing too close, making Sookie jump and fumble with her phone.

"Nothing," Sookie snapped back, but Mae's lip was curling as if she was smelling something bad and Sookie had a terrible urge to use her fist to push that sneer up further up the Fae's face.

When she woke up the next morning, Sookie rolled over and checked her phone again. ' _Did you arrive safe?_ ' she texted. She waited. Nothing.

Sookie made herself some breakfast and showered. She dressed. No response. "Asshole!" She realized Breandan had been vague about where he was going. ' _Europe_ ,' he said, followed by, ' _It's only a week_.' No address, no destination. At the time, she'd been thinking so much about him being gone, she hadn't paid attention.

All day Sookie checked her phone. Around dinner, she texted again, ' _Please let me know you're safe_.' When she got up the next morning, nothing had changed. Her text bubbles hung on the screen like orphan children.

As she walked by the front desk, she asked Preston, "Do you think Mr. O'Hara may have lost his phone?"

The Assistant Manager rolled his eyes, pulled out his own phone, and started poking with his thumbs. "No," he announced, holding his screen toward Sookie so she could see the answering text, "Breandan is just fine. What's wrong, Princess? Your sweetheart too busy to send you your morning wake-up call?"

It preyed on Sookie for the rest of the morning. Three days. It started her thinking about their whole relationship. She remembered those early days in Boston when he'd find wonderful places to take her. She remembered the one time she was pretty sure he'd told her he loved her. She remembered those first days in Killary, lying in front of the peat fire and how she was sure she and Breandan were headed for something more. She fingered the necklace he'd bought her their first weekend after moving into the hotel. It was a piece of rock strung on a thin, gold chain. Breandan laughed at her, teasing that she was forcing him to be a tourist in his own country, and then purchased her a souvenir from the shop since that's was tourists did. "Only gift you ever gave me," Sookie said sadly.

"Are you listening to me?" It was Mae. She'd leaned over, almost yelling in Sookie's ear. It startled Sookie so much, she dropped her fork. It clattered on the table and the others eating turned to look, then stood and scuttled away.

It was lunchtime, so Sookie was in the employees' dining room. Her thoughts had started to turn from melancholy to moody and the last thing she needed was another testy conversation with the female Fae. "Were you talking? I hadn't noticed," Sookie shrugged.

Mae fastened her most disdainful sneer in place, "I have been talking for some time. Did you hear a word I said?"

"Nope," Sookie shrugged, "Can't say I did. Guess I have more important things to think about at the moment." Sookie wasn't usually so rude, but it was an unusual day. She felt off balance and that added to her growing annoyance. Mae had her moments when she could be almost nice, but mostly she still acted as if she was Top Cat in any room and anyone who was a human, ' _or hybrid_ ,' Sookie's mind added, should fall on their knees if Mae chose to pay them attention.

"Well, I want you to…" and Sookie stood up, picked up her plate, and walked away. It felt great, turning her back on Mae. "Where are you going?" Mae was angry now.

"Don't know," Sookie shrugged, "but I've just decided to take the rest of the day off."

"What does that mean?" Mae caught up to her. She was pressing her anger against Sookie as if that would make a difference. The only thing it did was make Sookie see red.

"You're not the boss of me," Sookie told her, "and I'm done with putting up with your bullshit. You don't like it? Fire me!" She didn't say it mad. She didn't say it loud, but Sookie Stackhouse was well and truly angry!

"Oh," hissed Mae, "You think you're so special? Why? Because Breandan's letting you live in his quarters? You need to learn your place! You're nothing but his pet and his interest in you is waning. You think you're the only one he fucks? Surely, even you aren't that stupid!" Mae's eyes shone and she leaned in toward Sookie, her cruel smile tilting her lips. "I had him before you and I've had him since. Now, get back to work!"

Sookie felt her backbone stiffen and the fire of pride ran through her. She put her plate in the bin and carefully, head up, she walked past Mae. She walked into her apartment, leaving the door open. She found her purse and made sure she had her wallet. She looked at the pad of paper still on the table, drew a big circle around Breandan's name, and made angry arrows pointing to the 'Leave' column.

Sookie could feel her throat closing, but she wasn't going to give anyone under this roof the satisfaction of seeing her hurt, and so without another word to anyone, she squared her shoulders, walked through the lobby, and out the front doors.

"I have money," Sookie told herself. "There have to be other places to live and other places to make money. I have a work permit. I'm getting my citizenship. Everyone says the walkers will be here in another few weeks and the tourists. I just need to make enough money to tide me over until I figure this out!" Sookie walked down the street, aimlessly turning corners while her brain repeated Mae's words.

One part of her wanted to believe Mae was lying, that Breandan was faithful to her, but another part, the louder part, asked if Sookie was kissing Eric Northman, why wouldn't Breandan be fucking ex-lovers? "We really don't belong together anymore," Sookie mumbled.

She walked for almost an hour, debating what to do. "I can't go back there," she decided. "Maybe she's lying about Breandan, but I'm not waiting around until he decides to return to figure it out." The very idea of another three days at The Grand, putting up with Mae's gloating and needling, was too much.

Slievemore was a small town during the off-season, so Sookie knew that if you wanted something, a lawnmower you could borrow or an apartment coming up for rent, you went to Murphy's and talked with Brian behind the bar. When she walked into the place, she was relieved to see him. When she told him what she wanted he was reluctant to help her, but Sookie promised she wouldn't tell anyone who helped and she added, "I can't live there anymore. You know how they are!" and he nodded. She figured like most of the town people, Brian accepted the O'Hara's different from them and that, combined with a tear or two, seemed to do the trick.

Clutching the name and address Brian provided Sookie headed out of town, walking along one of the main thoroughfares until she came to a sign that read Seacoast Shores. It was a modern-looking place, set back from the road and just atop a small rise. As Sookie stood on the front porch about to ring the bell, she turned around and there, right across the street, was the whole harbor laid out in front of her. It hadn't seemed as if she'd walked that far, but from where she was standing, she could see all of Slievemore and if she squinted, she could just make out the peaked roof of The Grand.

After the second time she rang, the door opened. It was a woman her own height. She was blond, like Sookie, but her hair was cut short and curled around her head. "Are you Maryann?" Sookie asked.

"Why are you here?" Maryann answered and Sookie's heart sank. This woman knew who she was and Sookie figured the impression wasn't good.

Still, she'd made the walk, so Sookie soldiered on, "I heard your regular helper got married and has moved out of town. I was wondering if you were looking for someone to take her place."

"Tired of The Grand?" Maryann asked. "Or did you have a fight with your fancy boyfriend and figure to bring your troubles to my doorstep?"

"I am tired of the Grand," Sookie nodded. "As for Breandan? I won't say I'm done with him, but I'm done living with him. Things work differently here than in the States. In the U.S., a woman can live with a man and not lose his respect. I don't think things works that way in Ireland."

"I suppose you'd call us quaint or traditional," Maryann agreed, "and you should know I'm all of those things. I don't hold with a woman living with a man not her husband and neither do the local people around here."

"Yes, Ma'am," Sookie pulled out her best manners. "I guess that's right. When I came here I believed Breandan and I would spend a little more time getting to know each other, and then we'd be married, but now? I'm pretty sure I made a mistake."

"And you're not going back to America?" Maryann asked.

"There's nothing and no one left for me there," Sookie answered. "I came here with Breandan when my Mother died. She's all the family I had left," and Sookie bit her lip and kept her back straight.

"Folks say you know how to work," Maryann watched her. "They say you have a pleasant way about you, always a kind word for everyone," and she stepped back, letting Sookie cross into the house. "You better come in."

Maryann took Sookie to the kitchen in the back of the house. She made Sookie a cup of tea and placed a plate with some cookies on the table. It was a good-sized kitchen with an oversized stove and a large double-sink. "This is where we cook breakfast for the guests," Maryann explained. "I have ten rooms here and I can have thirty people at a sitting. They all need breakfast within a couple hours. Do you know how to cook?"

"I do," Sookie nodded. "Besides cooking for my family, I worked as a waitress back in the States and a neighbor taught me how to make brown bread when I first came here." The thought of her first days with Breandan in Killary sent a sharp pain through Sookie's chest.

"I'd want you to live here," Maryann said carefully. "There's an apartment over the garage out back. It's not fancy, but it's comfortable. The hours are long, but I'd pay you 275 euro a week."

"I'd need 300," Sookie told her, "and two days off."

"Well, you have cheek, I'll give you that," and Maryann nodded, "That's fair, but not two days together and one night you're here for desk duty until everyone is checked in. That means you wait up in the front room until they all get back from their bar-hopping and sight-seeing."

"Deal," Sookie grinned.

"I'll need your papers," Maryann told her, and then asked, "When can you start?"

"How about tonight?" Sookie asked. "I'll go back right now and pack up."

"And what are you going to do when himself comes walking up the path with a ring in his hand?" and Maryann gave Sookie a hard stare.

"I don't think that's going to happen," Sookie said sadly and she was pretty sure she was right. "But even if he does, I give you my word I'll be here through the season. I won't leave you hanging." Sookie stared at her tea for a moment. She felt foolish saying it, but she figured she needed to get it out in the open. "Breandan's Father won't be happy I've left. There are some around here who worry about crossing the O'Hara's."

"You mean am I one of those superstitious lot from town? No, it doesn't bother me what those people think as long as it isn't a legal matter." The innkeeper waited until Sookie assured her there would be no police, then said, "Well, I suppose I should show you the apartment."

It wasn't big nor nowhere near as luxurious as the apartment at The Grand, but Sookie thought she would be happy there. The women shook hands and Sookie started back down the street, dreading the reception that awaited her back at The Grand.

It was already dark, so Sookie decided to take a chance. She called Pam and was relieved when her friend answered right away.

"What did you do to him?" Pam asked.

"Who?" Sookie asked.

"Eric," Pam snapped.

"Eric? Nothing! Look," and she stopped walking. "I'm leaving The Grand. I'm going to work at Seacoast Shores up the street. I'm moving over there tonight and I was wondering if you'd mind giving me a lift. I could walk, but my suitcases will be too heavy and I don't want to make more than one trip."

The line was very quiet. "Pam?" Sookie asked when the silence stretched.

"You're leaving him?" Pam finally said.

"Not exactly," Sookie answered. "More like I'm leaving my job at The Grand. I'll figure out Breandan later."

"Is he going to be there?" Sookie figured Pam wouldn't want to be involved if there was a chance there would be a scene.

"Breandan's out of town. He left three days ago and he's not due back until after the weekend," Sookie told her.

"Too bad," Pam sighed and Sookie realized she'd been wrong about Pam.

"So, you'll do it?" Sookie asked again.

"Wouldn't miss it!" Pam laughed.

It gave Sookie the extra shot of courage she needed to sail back through the front doors. Preston was at the front desk. He looked worried and pulled out his phone. He called to Sookie, "Mae is looking for you…"

Sookie rounded on him. There were only employees in the front lobby, but Sookie realized she wouldn't have cared if there weren't. "If you call her, Preston, you better call the police, too, because I'm going to knock her all the way to Dublin. The best thing you can do is stay out of my way and keep that bulimic piece of crap out of my way, too!" Preston's face went white and his mouth opened and then closed. Sookie almost laughed, but then she put her chin up and walked down the back hall, opening her door.

It didn't take long. The suitcases were in the closet where she'd left them. All her clothes, even her new ones, fit in the bags. It was quick work collecting her toiletries from the bathroom and the shoebox with her papers and photographs. She reached behind her to unclasp the necklace she was wearing and let it drop over itself on the table. "I won't come so cheap for you ever again!" she said, glancing at the gift.

She took another walk around the apartment. There were a couple photographs she'd framed of her and Breandan together. He was wearing his human face, not the one she saw, so she left them. "They're nothing but lies," she shrugged. There was a photograph next to the bed of she and Breandan with her mother. It was taken that last Thanksgiving in Boston. Sookie took it from the frame and carefully folded it so Breandan's face was obscured, then she tucked it into the shoebox along with the others.

There was a knock on the door and Pam walked in. "There are people in that lobby who look as if they could chew nails," she laughed. "I can't wait to see their faces when you walk out!"

"Is Mae out there?" Sookie asked, her temper rising and her fists forming.

"She is, but she's looking a little green," Pam laughed again. "What did you do to her? Dress her down in front of her bitch club?"

"She told me she's been sleeping with Breandan," Sookie said and just hearing it made her deflate. "But I'm not going to think about that right now," she said just as quickly, firming her stance and swallowing back her emotions.

Pam nodded. She squeezed Sookie's arm in support, then said, "Come on, Miss Scarlett, time to exit Stage Right." Pam lifted one of the suitcases like it weighed no more than a feather and walked through the door, apparently ready to lead the way.

Preston was standing in the middle of the lobby. Mae was beside him. They didn't look happy as Preston said, "Mr. O'Hara will be here shortly. You should stop immediately and wait for him. There has been some kind of misunderstanding. You can't leave!"

"I'm sorry for what I said," Mae stammered.

Sookie set down her suitcase and walked right up until she was standing almost nose to nose with Mae, "Were you lying?"

"I wasn't thinking…" Mae deflected.

"That's not what I asked you," Sookie raged.

Pam stepped next to Sookie and smiling sweetly, asked, "Mae? A simple yes or no. Have you fucked Breandan Brigant since he returned from the United States?"

Mae looked trapped. She looked to Preston, and then back at Pam. "She can't answer," Pam told Sookie. "Fae are incapable of lying and she doesn't want to admit what she did."

"Time to go," Sookie nodded, feeling her heart contract just a bit more.

"You can't!" Preston protested and moved to block Sookie's way.

"Is she a prisoner here?" Pam challenged the Assistant Manager. It was an odd choice of words and it gave Sookie a bad feeling, but then Pam turned to her and asked, "Sookie, are you leaving of your own free will?"

"Yes," Sookie replied and for some reason, Preston stepped away. Outside, the car was waiting and in no time, they were loaded and driving away from The Grand Hotel. Sookie pulled out her phone and looked, but there was no message from Breandan.

"Are you okay?" Pam asked her.

"Right as rain," Sookie told her friend.

Inside the lobby of The Grand Hotel, Mae felt ill. "What am I going to do?" she asked no one in particular.

"Run," Preston told her before walking away, leaving her standing by herself.


	18. Chapter 17 - The Way

**Chapter 17 – The Way**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

There were moments when it was as if they were back in those days when Claude had truly loved Breandan. His cousin was playful one moment, demanding the next. He pressed Breandan so hard they barely slept for two days. There were restraints and games. Claude took away Breandan's phone and ordered him to remain unclothed.

It was on the second day Claude slipped. He growled that he wanted to wipe away any memory of the mongrel's time here and it killed it for Breandan.

"That's why it had to be here, isn't it?" Breandan stilled beneath Claude's hands. "Because you're jealous. This isn't about you and me at all, it's about Sookie."

"That's not so!" Claude protested, but from that point on, it was just another encounter between consenting beings. They were getting what they each wanted, but Breandan no longer felt that deep connection to Claude, not in the way he felt when he was with Sookie. Instead of erasing her memory, every motion and movement seemed to bring her more fully to mind.

On the morning of the third day, Breandan heard his phone chime. He fished it from Claude's pants pocket. There was a text from Preston Pardloe, so he answered it, but before he could browse through the rest of his messages, Claude was on him, taking his phone, and demanding his attention by fastening his mouth around Breandan's morning erection. The play became rougher and by evening, Breandan was ready to go home.

He heard his phone chime again. "Oh, no!" Claude scolded. "We're not doing that again!" and he tried to head Breandan off.

"People will be wondering," Breandan growled. "I haven't checked in with anyone."

"You checked in with the hotel this morning," Claude pouted. "Isn't that enough?" and then Claude's eyes narrowed, "Or maybe it's because you didn't check in with her?"

"You forget yourself!" Breandan snapped, and then the phone chimed a second time and rolled into the buzz of an actual call. "Give it to me!" Breandan demanded. He thought for a moment that Claude would try to play some form of keep away with him, but his cousin must have seen his rising anger because he tossed the phone, purposely making it awkward to catch.

"Baby!" Breandan hissed again. It was his Father and with a sigh, Breandan connected.

"Where the fuck are you?" It was shocking. Rogan could be abrupt, but he was rarely profane.

"On a trip, I told you…" Breandan started to explain.

"Well, it doesn't look like a trip to me, not with where your phone locator has paced you," his father snarled. "Get your ass back here right now."

"To Slievemore?" Breandan asked. "You're there? What happened?"

"I don't explain anything over phones," Rogan snarled and the line disconnected.

Claude watched Breandan pack with sullen eyes. "I bet this is about her," he pouted.

"She has a name," Breandan shook his head. He stilled, looking out the window toward the sea, "I don't think we'll be doing this again for a long time, Claude."

"What are you talking about?" and Claude started to look wary.

"I don't think this is right for me anymore," Breandan told him.

"And why do you feel that way? What is 'right' for you? That thing?" and Claude's voice started to rise. "She can't give you what I can! What is she? A creature, not even one of us!"

"That's true," Breandan told Claude, "Compared to us, she may seem a creature, but it doesn't matter. My heart is at peace when I'm with her."

"So, what does that mean? You're going to pledge your undying devotion and cling to her as she ages?" and Claude's eyes narrowed, "You'll be a laughingstock! Your own Father will cast you out!"

Breandan thought of Marta and Dieter, the German couple who visited his hotel. Marta's eyes watched Dieter the way Sookie's watched him when she was happy. "I could appear to age with her," Breandan shrugged. "I haven't experienced that with anyone."

"And who would you fuck?" Claude looked appalled. "Surely, you wouldn't continue to do that with her as she sags and wrinkles?"

"Of course not!" Breandan laughed. "I don't think aging humans still couple, do you? No, I'd have others take care of my needs. I wouldn't embarrass her that way." Breandan thought of how he felt when she told him she loved him. Just holding her at those times warmed him in a way he wasn't sure he'd ever experienced before. "I was happy in Boston. She loved me, not because of what I could give her, but because of me. She didn't know who I was, she didn't care about my money. She cared about me!"

"You're a fool!" Claude's face was twisted in disbelief. "You'd throw away everything we have, everything we've been to each other? For that… thing?"

"I'd throw it all away to be loved for who I am, not for what I am." Breandan thought again of Marta and Dieter, who after fifty years still held each other's hands. He remembered the way his Mother's eyes would shine when she saw his Father. "That's who she reminds me of," he said out loud, then realized he'd done it. Claude was looking at him as if he'd lost his mind and he supposed he had.

Breandan finished packing and started walking through the door, but he couldn't leave it this way. Someday Sookie would die. Claude might be selfish, but there was an affection left between them. He set down his suitcase and walked to where Claude was standing. His cousin was almost shaking, his face an odd mix of anger and something else. Breandan wasn't fooled. This was hurting both of them.

"Goodbye, cousin," he whispered and kissed Claude's lips. "We both know this isn't forever, but for now, I won't have another compete with her."

"This isn't like Mae, is it?" Claude asked.

"No," Breandan acknowledged, "This is both better and worse."

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Breandan tried calling his Father once he was on the road. The phone went straight to voice mail, which wasn't unusual, but his Father didn't call him back, which was.

"Just as well," Breandan mumbled. He would have preferred to know what emergency required cutting his trip short, but it was a good excuse to wrap himself in thoughts of Sookie. Mentally, he catalogued the various bruises and marks on his body. He knew humans were squeamish about sharing when they weren't part of the coupling, so he focused energy on healing himself.

For a moment, he wondered if Sookie was behind his Father's anger, but he dismissed it. If she was damaged or dead, Rogan's wrath would have been limitless. The sun above him was shining, not a cloud in sight. True, Rogan's gift wasn't control of the air, but his influence over water this close to the coast could still bring storms when he was enraged. It had to be something else.

"Sookie," Breandan smiled. The name felt sweet on his lips. This time with Claude had been good in some respects. It reminded him of who he was and that helped put Sookie Stackhouse in proper perspective. She was not his pet, she was more, but she wasn't Fae.

Rogan hadn't shared whether he'd told his brother, Niall, about Sookie, but Breandan couldn't imagine his Father had the patience to wait. Rogan loved gloating and he loved having the thing you didn't. It would make telling Niall irresistible. Breandan would need to confirm Rogan's plan to blackmail Niall was in place, but once he did, he could allow himself to breathe easier in pursuing his relationship with Sookie.

If Niall was to dance to Rogan's tune, there was no need for Sookie to ever leave Breandan's side! She could be within his arms, smiling for him, and making him feel good about himself for the rest of her natural life. The idea that she would end twisted Breandan's heart a bit, but it was the way of things. He knew at some point his Father might insist Sookie breed, ensuring a line of captives, and that thought was disturbing. He wouldn't want to share her with anyone, but perhaps if they found a human male who pleased them both, they could dismiss him when his job was done.

' _There's science_ ,' Breandan thought, but it could create the suspicion that he was father to that child, which was unacceptable. It wasn't that Breandan didn't like children. They were amusing, but having anyone, even innocently, think he would sire a child with a hybrid was offensive.

Breandan could see her, challenging him, initiating sex, sharing her affection with him, and his motives wouldn't be questioned. He would just be doing his job, keeping her consent strong, ensuring she couldn't wander away from them. ' _I will get what I want_ ,' he smiled, ' _and Father won't be able to complain_!'

Breandan pulled up to the front doors of The Grand, but there was no lobby attendant stepping out to take his car. That was unusual and Breandan experienced a moment of alarm. He walked into the lobby and glanced around. The area was deserted, except for Preston Pardloe who stood behind the desk. "What happened?" Breandan asked his Assistant Manager.

"Mae!" Preston's expression was grief-stricken, "Your Father is in your apartment waiting for you. The King has frozen all the guests in their rooms until his business is done!"

That was cause for concern. No one doled out that kind of magic lightly. Whatever happened, it involved Breandan's bitch of a wife and was bad enough for Rogan to place a stay spell. Breandan imagined his guests upstairs in their rooms, staring blankly at walls, and waiting to be released. "How long?" he asked Preston.

"Fifteen, twenty minutes," Preston whispered. At least that was something. If the humans were held too long, bad things happened. They needed bathrooms and food. Rogan could literally kill them by holding them in place.

Determined to get this resolved quickly, Breandan walked into his apartment. "Father?" he called.

"Here," Rogan was just around the wall, sitting at the small table. He was playing with a chain. It took a moment before Breandan recognized it as the souvenir he'd bought Sookie. It went against his grain to give anyone who wasn't Fae something permanent. Experiences, flowers, and music were the currency of relationships with those who were not of the Seelie. By buying her this trinket he'd broken rules, but he couldn't imagine something as minor was behind his Father's actions.

"How long do you intend to hold those people upstairs?" he asked, and then a thought occurred to him. "Did you bring me here to kill me?"

"Not this time," his Father was watching him, eyes wide open, so Breandan knew he meant it. Pretending it didn't bother him, Breandan asked, "Where's Sookie?"

"She's gone. Mae betrayed me," Rogan snarled. "She found a way to release the hybrid and she's paid the price!"

"You killed Mae?" It rocked Breandan. He had never loved Mae, but he remembered a time he liked her. There had been the long ages they tried to procreate and the disappointment they shared. It had created a bond between them and the thought that he would never see her again was jarring.

"That bitch took it into her head to torment my prisoner or did you forget that's what your little pet really is? She's mine, Breandan, and you'd do well to remember it!" Rogan's blood was still up and remembering his grievance was working it up again. Breandan knew his Father well enough to recognize how dangerous he was in this state. Rogan would regret killing Mae later, but anyone who questioned him now risked sharing her fate.

"Mae's family will seek retribution," Breandan said levelly, treating this as any other business transaction.

"They should pay me for maintaining such a worthless excuse of a Fae," and then Rogan's eyes narrowed again. "Preston told me the vampires helped the hybrid leave. Did you know your pet was friendly with them?"

Taking a page from his Father's book, Breandan went on the offensive, "Of course, I knew. Since you are the one who gave them permission to open a pub here, I assumed you were on good terms with them. I wouldn't dream of questioning your decisions in these matters," and he left it hanging.

Rogan eyed him warily before saying, "I've summoned them here. The female accompanied the hybrid. She will tell us where she took her or she'll regret it!"

"Father," Breandan warned, "I don't dispute your right to demand justice, but killing Mae could spur a battle among the Seelie. Would you risk war with the Unseelie as well?"

"Did you give her permission to leave our territory?" Rogan asked.

"Of course not," Breandan snapped back. "And since she is here by consent, it means she is still within your territory, My King," and Breandan bowed his head. Paying court to his Father at these times could defuse his anger.

"Unless my prisoner is no longer in thrall to you," and Rogan leaned forward. He tossed the necklace on the table and turned the pad of paper he'd been looking at toward his son. Breandan looked down to see his own name. It was circled and heavy arrows had been drawn, pointing it to the column of Reasons to Leave.

"I assumed you had things well in hand," Rogan was watching Breandan closely and the idea that his Father might kill him yet returned.

"I warned you about leaving Sookie here with Mae," Breandan reminded his Father. "I remember telling you that my wife was a poor choice for this assignment."

"Mae had no particular attachment to you," Rogan snarled, his words cruel even if Breandan knew them to be true. "I willingly paid for her trips and her toys. She had no reason to betray me."

"Next time, Father," Breandan pushed his point, "Consider trusting my opinion."

Breandan was about to ask what exactly Mae had done, but Preston knocked on the door. "Your guests, Majesty," he bowed low, leaving the vampires inside the room.

Northman looked as he always did, dressed all in black and supremely relaxed. Pam was dressed in pink, which suited her even if it seemed a foolish color for a night-walker. "You summoned?" and Pam hitched one hip and crossed her arms.

"Shut the door," Rogan ordered Breandan. Northman smirked as Breandan walked past him, his look saying all too clearly, ' _Lackey!_ '

When Breandan returned, he had to take one of the chairs from the small kitchen table unless he wanted to sit next to Pam on the small sofa, which he didn't. "Where did you take her?" Rogan was asking Pam. He was using his authority to display how seriously he considered the matter, but the vampires didn't seem to understand. Northman raised his eyebrow and Pam laughed.

"Have you lost something?" she asked.

"I've already killed one woman tonight. I have no problem making it two!" Rogan threatened.

The effect was immediate. Northman stood, his fangs extended, and then Pam was off the couch as well. His Father's sword in hand and Breandan jumped up, his hands raised to stand between them. "Stop! As my Father said, there has already been violence tonight. There is no reason to add to the carnage!" He turned to Pam. He knew Sookie had formed an unlikely friendship with the vampire. His woman had told him over dinner before he left. Sookie was shy and pleased about it. Breandan wasn't pleased, but since it was Sookie's only friendship besides himself, he held back his disapproval.

"Sookie is missing," he told Pam. "We are worried for her. My Assistant Manager tells us that you were the last one seen with her, that you might have taken her to where she's now staying." Breandan could see the tension dropping, so he returned to his chair and made a show of sitting, then waited for the rest to follow. "As her friend, you know I brought Sookie here. I feel responsible for her…"

"You tricked your way into her bed and you've been lying to her ever since," Northman didn't bother hiding his feelings on the matter.

"We are Fae," Breandan snapped back, "You know we are unable to lie."

"Lying by omission is worse than a straight-forward lie," Eric persisted, "Sookie came to Ireland with you because she had expectations about your relationship."

"I made her no promises, "Breandan said quickly, glancing at his Father, and then wondered why he was defending himself to this creature. "She knew from the beginning what I am." It wasn't exactly true. Sookie had known Breandan was different from that first time they were together, but she didn't know that difference was Fae.

"Maybe you didn't make promises," Eric continued, "but you didn't spell things out for her either."

Pam broke in, "If Sookie really understood how things were between you, she wouldn't have left you along with the crappy job you gave her. It's not as if any of you made things very easy for her." Pam turned to Rogan, "You can stop panicking. Sookie hasn't gone far, just down the road a mile or so. She's found another job where they'll treat her better and a place to live where she has a bed of her own."

"This is unacceptable!" Rogan flared. "If she won't stay here where we can watch her, I will take her into the Forts! I won't have her wandering!"

"And then what?" Eric asked. "How long before Niall finds out what you've done? He'd know you would never willingly take a hybrid into a Seelie stronghold, not unless she was your prisoner. He'll assume she was taken without her consent and he'd be right."

"Is this your doing, Northman?" Rogan hissed. "Are you the one who told Niall she was here?"

"Why would I?" Eric shrugged. "You and I have an accord! I paid off my debt and I remained behind in America because we had a deal. Now I have a stake in Slievemore and the bar is performing well. You are getting your cut, so I'd say we have a lucrative partnership, Rogan. Why would I want to endanger that?" and the vampire sat back, crossing his legs at the knee.

Breandan watched his Father's jaw work. He held his breath. It was within his Father's power to take Sookie into the Forts, but he hated the idea. She would be mocked and abused by all who came there. He couldn't see that happen to her. "I think the emergency is over, Father," he said evenly. "Sookie remains within your territory, which suggests some part of her consent to be here remains. If someone were to ask, I'd think her remaining here and working at a place not our own improves on the idea that this is her choice, made of her own free will. Niall will believe she's happy here and he'll have no excuse to interfere."

Breandan drew a breath before saying, "It is true that my influence with Sookie seems to have diminished. She wasn't happy working here, but, without Mae, there is no reason to think she won't return to The Grand." Breandan almost said, 'my bed,' but he didn't want to think about that. He needed his Father to leave so he could find out why Sookie wasn't here for him.

"Wouldn't hold my breath," Pam said under hers.

"What does that mean?" Breandan asked.

Pam smirked as she shared, "Because the straw that broke the camel's back was when Mae told Sookie you cheated on her...with Mae." Rogan turned hard eyes toward his son as Pam added, "Humans only get crazy about monogamy when they believe themselves to be in a committed relationship and that's what you led Sookie to believe!"

"But, this isn't reasonable! I never promised her that!" Breandan was confused. Sookie hadn't asked for his fidelity and he hadn't offered it. Breandan knew enough of humans to know when they married they promised to remain faithful to each other, even If they didn't. He and Sookie weren't married under any law or even engaged in the way of humans. Sookie told him she didn't wish to marry him. "Why would she assume some human notion of faithfulness? She knows what I am!" he protested. "She never followed human customs. Why would she be upset?"

Pam laughed. "I'm not sure what standards you think she didn't believe in, maybe standards from a hundred years ago, but believe me, Sookie Stackhouse does hold us to human standards. She is a stickler for manners and she follows modern rules and customs." Pam nodded toward Eric, "As my Maker said, she had expectations and when she found out you violated them, she felt betrayed. She doesn't behave like other humans you know. She can't just be glamoured…"

Breandan wondered how the vampires knew this. He didn't like Northman, but he was finding he liked Pam even less. "Sookie and I have an agreement," he interrupted. "She is in love with me and that gives me dominion over her."

"Wouldn't bet your Father's kingdom on it!" and Pam laughed again.

"Tell me where she is!" Breandan leaped up. He was done sparring. He wanted to talk with Sookie and bring her back. In his agitation, he started moving toward Pam determined to shake the information from her if necessary.

"Sit down!" Rogan ordered. Breandan realized that in that moment he'd revealed too much. "I thank you for your assistance in this matter," Rogan the diplomat was back. "You could have fed the hybrid's anger and with her damaged consent, probably taken her from my territory. You didn't and I am in your debt. If you would, please give Preston the hybrid's address. On behalf of myself and my son, I pledge that we will not harass the hybrid. However, I will assign assets to monitor her." Rogan stood and they all rose with him.

"Always a pleasure," Eric nodded and he winked at Breandan as he walked out the door.

Once the vampires left, Rogan turned to Breandan, "I can see now it is better she is not living with you anymore." Breandan waited. There was nothing he could say that would make this better. "This is your territory, Son, and I want her watched. Leave her where she is. If you choose to play with her that is your choice, but I expect you to remember who and what you are! There is a reason we hate hybrids and I can see that you need to remember that lesson. They are like us, but aren't. Their uniqueness attracts us and that makes them dangerous."

"Sookie…" Breandan started, but Rogan cut him off. The King rose and waved his hand, releasing all the guests who had been frozen within the walls of the hotel from his spell.

"Breandan, I have asked you not to call her by name! It breeds too much familiarity. She is a hybrid, Son, nothing more. Don't be fooled by her manners. Don't disgrace yourself as Niall did! He could lose his kingdom over his indulgence. He is so ashamed of what he did that he is paying me tribute to keep his secret. Would you give someone, that vampire for instance, that kind of power over you? Is she really worth that price?"

Rogan walked closer and placed his hand on his son's shoulder. It was a rare show of affection and Breandan wished he could believe it was sincere. "Fuck her. Use her. Enjoy her pretty smiles, but never forget who you are. Visit the Forts. Visit Claude. Remind yourself what it is to be Fae, my Son. Ours is a proud race, one that should not be diminished by tainted blood!"

Breandan walked Rogan back through the lobby. "Will you contact Mae's kin?" he asked.

"I'm sure they have already been visited by her shade," Rogan smirked. "She can explain to them how her actions led to her death."

The lobby assistant was back. He jumped to the door, running to fetch Rogan's vehicle. Breandan used this time with his Father to ask, "How did the visit with Niall go?"

"He moaned when he saw her picture," and Rogan looked triumphant. "It was sweet, Son, that feeling of revenge. I pray you never have reason to seek it but, if you do, rest assured, it sits well."

Breandan watched his Father drive off. Rogan never asked Breandan's feelings about Mae. As usual, the King assumed the feelings of those around him would simply adjust to suit his own desires. ' _At least, I have Sookie_ ,' Breandan thought. He knew what the vampires said, but when did the Unseelie know anything? Sookie came to him, willingly. She opened her legs and she opened her heart to him. She might be angry with him for the moment, but Breandan was sure it wouldn't take much to win her back.

As he took her address from Preston, Breandan noticed he was still sore. Claude had used him hard last night. Bruises were easy to heal, abrasions and rips, less so. ' _One night without her won't hurt_ ,' Breandan thought. ' _I'll let her sleep and then I'll convince her to return in the morning_. _It will give her time to remember how she yearns for me_.'

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Eric Northman waited until he and Pam turned the corner leading away from The Grand before pulling out his phone to text Niall Brigant.

"Why are you getting yourself in the middle of this?" Pam asked. "Neither of those bastards are paying you. I don't see any benefit to keeping your nose in their business."

"If Niall wanted to ride in and save his Grand-daughter, he would have as soon as I texted him about her," Eric was looking intently at his screen. "Instead, he asked me to provide regular updates."

"Like I said," Pam huffed. "Niall may be interested, but not enough to make a solid offer."

"Not true," and Eric turned his phone toward Pam. "He has offered me a Fae's favor."

Pam stopped, taking the phone from his hand and studying the text. "That could be helpful," she smiled. "Have you decided what you'll demand yet?"

"No." Eric resumed walking up the hill toward his pub. "Right now, we have everything we need." They turned into the alley to see people hanging out in front of Ghoul's Kiss. "Good! It will be another busy night," Eric rubbed his hands together. "The first of the walkers have arrived in town and I arranged twice the usual number of musicians. Let's make sure the drinks are generous. These humans use social media. If we play this right, we'll be the top pub in town this season. I'd rather Rogan got a cut this year instead of a full share from his own places," and Eric grinned, "Breandan, too!"

It was a good night. The first outsiders were definitely in town, buying plenty of alcohol and wearing footwear that marked them as hikers. There were couples, old and young, but there were also groups of students. The other tourists, the ones who stayed in town for days or weeks, wouldn't start showing up in numbers until the warmer weather of May, but still, there were few chairs open tonight and that boded well.

Eric watched his staff working and found himself satisfied. You never knew how people would work out until the bar was stacked three deep and the waitresses struggling to keep up. So far, his hires looked solid. He watched as a petite blond hustled around her tables delivering drinks and Eric found himself thinking of Sookie. It seemed to happen a lot.

The woman, Moira, flashed him a smile as she came to the bar to drop off drink orders. Eric leaned in, caught her eye, and said, "Break, in my office."

It was one of the hazards of being in a smaller city. Feeding had to be done more carefully. He would be quick with Moira, taking only what was necessary, but not indulging his other needs. There was no shower in the back yet, which made jacking off in his hand inconvenient. He supposed he could fuck Moira if he wished. She signaled her interest, she was no virgin and glamour would cover the rest, but the waitress looked too much like Sookie and it made Eric uncomfortable.

Fortunately, Chelsea would be coming in later and she knew what he was. She'd been to the club in Carrick and had no problem both feeding and fucking him. She was relatively quiet when she came and more importantly, she kept her mouth shut afterward. It was a winning combination.

Pam was scrambling to locate her meals here. She preferred women who liked women and in a place like Slievemore, those people lived very quietly. Things would improve once the tourist season was in full swing and there was always TruBlood when their usual feeders had been tapped too frequently. Still, Slievemore was not an optimal location for those of their kind.

Pam's saving grace at the moment were her regular visits to Carrick. Chow, their new manager at Carrick's Ghoul's Kiss, was doing well. His dark looks and tattoos attracted attention in the more metropolitan center, but it was his management skills that were the real star as far as Eric and Pam were concerned. The clientele grew, the venue evolved, and the seats both inside and outside remained packed. It really wasn't necessary for Pam to go as often as she did, but the access to established partners was her added benefit.

"Break!" the bartender called and Eric watched as Moira's eyes glassed over a little. She set down her tray and walked toward the back. Taking a last look around, he followed her.

She was standing in the middle of his office with her arms at her side. Eric approached her, dropping his fangs. He stroked up her arm and moved her hair from her neck. Standing in back of her, he allowed himself to imagine this was Sookie. He wondered what the hybrid's blood would taste like. He'd been close enough to take in her unique scent, wheat and honey and sunshine. He purposely held his breath as he dipped down to first lick and then slide his fangs into Moira's neck. She shuddered just a little and he felt himself grow hard as his eyes rolled back, her blood coating his tongue.

With a start, he withdrew his fangs and leaned back from her. He pricked his finger, smearing his blood over the wounds, watching them heal. Grabbing the box of wet wipes, he cleaned her neck and then checked himself in a mirror before leaning back on his desk, capturing her eyes and saying, "Again, thanks, Moira, you're doing a great job!"

She shook and blinked a couple times, then caught herself. "Thank you, Mr. Northman. I appreciate it," she stammered.

She looked a little lost, so Eric said, "That's all. I just wanted to thank you without making it a big thing in front of the others."

Moira looked a little more confident, and then left, pulling the door closed behind her.

Eric locked the door, returning to sit in his desk chair. He released himself and his hard length sprang forward. He rolled his pants down over his hips and spitting in his hand, he started to stroke, rubbing his thumb over his head, "Sookie!" he said out loud, his eyes closed, imagining it was the blonde from Boston who was doing this to him. He wondered what her mouth would feel like on him, her warm breath coating him as her hair tumbled across his thighs. He knew how her mouth tasted and his thoughts returned their kiss in the park. It had been sweet, until she ruined it with her regrets. It didn't take long, but it rarely did after feeding, the reality of blood and sex so tightly interwoven they were almost the same.

The wet wipes were close by and Eric reached for the box with one hand while squeezing himself through to the last with his other. He took his time cleaning up.

' _Sookie Stackhouse_ ,' the name came from nowhere and everywhere. Eric leaned back, beginning to stroke himself again.

He had been intrigued when he was approached by Rogan to go to Boston as a way to pay off his debt. Eric had made the mistake of wagering with the Fae King over a game of chess, never a smart move, and the King had twisted his luck to ensure Northman lost. Eric smirked as he remembered those first few nights in America, scouting for places he could stand unobserved, keeping watch on the house where Sookie lived. It was bright in Boston, too bright to risk daytime surveillance, so he'd hired someone, but had let them go when he confirmed his target, ' _Sookie_ ,' his brain sighed again, worked nights, sleeping until early afternoon most days.

Eric couldn't think of her without his lips curving up. She was short, shorter than he liked, but her lower lip was full and the sight of her breasts make his hands ache. He was a large man and he came from a time when thin meant starvation. She was round in all the places he liked. He imagined holding her hips, pressing into firm but yielding flesh, her sighs soft under him. His hand quickened his pace as he remembered the way she fondled him in his dog form. She hadn't been afraid of him. As a thinking human, she should have kept her distance, but she hadn't. From the first night, she'd walked right up to him, placing her hands on him. What's more, she'd made an effort to feed him, revealing a kind and thoughtful heart.

Each night as Eric learned more about her, he found himself more attracted. He was hired to keep her under watch until the Fae Prince arrived to place her in thrall, but as he watched her tending her Mother and dispensing kindnesses to strangers, he couldn't help hoping Sookie would see through Breandan Brigant and send him packing. When he realized Breandan had met Sookie and she'd rejected him, Eric couldn't help it. His admiration for her grew. There was something about her that was more than she appeared, but it didn't last.

One night she told him in his black dog form that she'd met someone wonderful and Eric felt his heart sink. The fucker was worming his way into this woman's affections and for the first time, Eric felt sympathy for the prey.

Technically, Breandan's winning Sookie's acceptance signaled the end to his job in America, but Eric offered Rogan a trade. He would stay in Boston until Breandan became a regular resident in the woman's bed. He offered to foot his own expenses. Eric pointed out this was always a tricky time in seductions. If it went poorly, the woman could decide to move. She was in a rental and Eric didn't bother giving Rogan details about her ailing mother or how expensive things were here, details that would have told Rogan there was no need for the vampire to remain. Instead, Rogan had been anxious to make the deal, the conversation reinforcing Eric's suspicion that Rogan was desperate to have this woman under his thumb. In exchange for his remaining in America, Eric was granted permission to open a second pub in Rogan's territory, this one in Slievemore.

Being around to needle Breandan about his lack of progress with Sookie was an added bonus to remaining in Boston. Eric knew Sookie's resistance wouldn't last long, but he silently cheered her each night she turned off the light alone in her room.

Part of the reason Eric figured it was only a matter of time was that Sookie was so vulnerable. He could tell that Sookie's Mother was terminally ill. He didn't have to see the Mother to know it. The smell of death literally hung in the air. It was on Sookie's uniform as she stooped to stroke his head. It was floating on the breeze every time the front door of the house opened and then closed. A woman who was experiencing this would be open to offers of assistance. Eric's only hope was that Breandan's natural selfishness and arrogance would prevent him from saying the words and making the gestures that would shift Sookie's opinion of him.

In the end, his fear that her Mother's illness would open the door to Breandan proved right. Eric hadn't seen Sookie for several nights. She wasn't going to work and he knew something was wrong. She came out to see him once and he was tempted to reveal himself, but he held back. He was almost relieved when Breandan came on the third night and was let into the house.

Eric wasn't sure what Breandan did once he was with them but, whatever it was, he didn't come out again that night. Eric could see them together, a combined shadow reflected against the curtains in her room, and then the light was extinguished. "Goodbye, Sookie," he whispered to the night and then left his post for the last time.

He thought he'd forget about her, but a week passed, and then another and her memory didn't fade. He launched himself into finding a place in Slievemore and then readying it to open. He pushed hard, harder than he had before. Pam questioned him, but he didn't have an answer for her. All he knew was his certainty that someday soon, Sookie Stackhouse would be here.

He had no reason to believe it. Rogan didn't say he was bringing her to Ireland, but it was the only thing that made sense. If Rogan wanted Sookie dead, she would have been. Instead, he sent his own son across the ocean to find her and seduce her. It wasn't possible that Breandan would remain in America. Rogan was selfish about all his things and that included his son. He'd want Breandan back in Ireland and Slievemore was Breandan's base. He had to bring her back here.

Eric had been right. Sookie turned up, standing right outside the window of his pub. It was a rainy day. She'd been in Ireland for a week or more. She was living with that bastard, Breandan, and professing her affection for him. Eric could tell she wasn't glamoured and he tried his own experiment with no more success. Her magic rendered her immune. It gave him hope, although he wasn't sure why he felt that way.

He didn't see Sookie often, but each time Eric did, it was pleasant. She was funny and feisty. She flirted with him and finding out he was a vampire didn't change that. He found himself watching the door for her, and when her friends arrived from America, he was delighted to see them visit the pub more often. The night they coerced Breandan into playing with the band was especially sweet. Eric hadn't danced in ages, but he readily joined the line. Sookie was a natural dancer, swinging lightly in his arms. He picked her up, twirling her easily, for a moment pretending she was his and finding the idea pleasing.

He worried that when her American friends left, he'd stop seeing her, that Breandan would keep her cloistered in the place he had on the peninsula in Killary. Instead, Breandan brought her into town, planting her at The Grand, and then stepping back, so his employees and Fae wife could torture her. Eric watched the light in Sookie's face dim day after day. She and Pam became closer and Eric began to hope again.

Pam teased him and then, when he remained interested, mocked him about his obsession with the hybrid. He believed what Pam told him, that Sookie saw him as nothing more than a friend, and then all that changed when Sookie kissed him.

Sookie protested that it was a mistake, but Eric knew that a woman like Sookie didn't act on meaningless impulses. He didn't tell Pam what happened, but he couldn't hide how it made him feel. The bond between himself and his Child allowed her that level of intimacy, but when she questioned, he refused to share details.

"And now you've left him," and Eric squeezed himself harder, compounding pleasure with pleasure. He knew the place Pam described. It was one of a handful of more modern establishments that had been built in recent years to take advantage of the growing population of hikers, drawn to walking the national trails without the burden of carrying gear, knowing there was a beer and a bed waiting for them every night. He didn't know the proprietress, but he promised himself he would.

Finishing again, Eric cleaned up and tucked himself back into his pants. He picked up his phone from the desk and searched out the right number. There was only one florist in town and he wanted something special. He called, leaving a detailed message and his call back information. "I need a day man," Eric grumbled. Fortunately, the florist had his credit card number on file. He'd sent flowers to Pam twice already, apologizing for the inconvenience he'd caused her by demanding their new pub be located here.

There was a knock at the door. Eric knew if he didn't answer it, Pam would just pick the lock. "I'm coming," he answered.

Pam's nose wrinkled, "That hard up?" she laughed. "It smells like a whorehouse in here!"

"I wouldn't want you to think you're the only one suffering," Eric laughed. He followed her out into the bar and soon was distracted by the hustle and noise of too many people who were too far from home to always be polite. Close to closing there was enough testosterone in the room to fuel the beginnings of a bar fight. Eric didn't bother hiding his strength, lifting the would-be pugilists by their jackets, and dangling them both well above the floor.

"Jaysus!" he heard one of the patrons exclaim, but this was, after all, part of the floor show, the glimpse into a reality that was just a little different than their everyday lives. Drunk patrons clapped and others watched him, wary and not a little lust-filled, but, for Eric, there was only one face he wished to see and she was sleeping on the far end of town.

xxxXXXxxx

"So, is this from the boyfriend?" Sookie came into the kitchen, ready to work. Maryann was waiting for her, arms crossed, and a vexed expression on her face.

Sookie was confused. The flower arrangement sitting on the table was beautiful, but there was something almost obscene about it. It had white roses, but they were interspersed with flowers that were a single, red spade-shaped leaf with a stiff, yellow stamen. They looked like miniature penises and Sookie blushed as red as the flowers.

"They don't look like something Breandan would send," Sookie mumbled, then realizing what she'd said, blushed even brighter. The card read: _To the woman who has the biggest set of all._ _Congratulations on starting your new life_. It was signed with a single ' _E_ '. "Eric Northman!" Sookie said out loud.

"So, how many boyfriends do you have?" Maryann was looking even less happy.

"Just the one," Sookie assured her. "Eric is a friend. He's congratulating me on making this move. I don't think he likes Breandan much," and she showed Maryann the card.

"Well, I think you better take those back to your place before we start breakfast," Maryann looked a little less angry. "Wouldn't do to have something like that sticking out at you all day!" and then Maryann giggled. It made it better between them and Sookie's first day began.


	19. Chapter 18 - True North

**Chapter 18 – True North**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

There weren't many guests at Seacoast Shores this morning. Only half of the rooms were taken. Sookie chopped fruit and set out yogurt and juice. While she set up the coffee, Maryann watched her closely. "I'm not much of a coffee drinker," the innkeeper acknowledged, "I've never been quite sure about how much coffee to add."

"Well, I like it a little stronger," Sookie told her. "I figure with a big day ahead of them, these folks are likely to want it the same way." She was proven right when those asking for coffee asked for seconds, then thirds. Guests drifted into the dining room, taking up the little tables, and within fifteen minutes, the pace went from slow to bustling.

The breakfast menu only offered five choices, but each still needed to be prepared. Sookie initially stayed away from the stove, leaving Maryann in charge of the cooking, but when she saw her boss struggling with poached eggs, she offered to take over. "Why don't you let me handle that? When my Mom was sick, eggs were about the only thing she really liked. I think I've done them just about every way there is!" Maryann stepped aside, allowing Sookie to take the pan. She moved them just right, then tipped them and using that little extra snap to her wrist, slid both eggs to lay perfectly atop the Irish bacon, yolks intact.

"See if you can do as well with these," and Maryann pointed to the list of orders, stacked on the counter.

"Happy to!" Sookie exclaimed and for the next half hour, she found she was almost joyous. She cooked, she chopped, she spiced. She hummed as she went, preparing each order, and taking care to make sure the presentation on the plate was pleasing. Maryann moved back and forth to the dining room, and Sookie could hear the sound of voices and laughter drifting back. The sun suddenly streamed through the back windows, making everything glow, and Sookie felt her heart swell. It was perfect. "I think I've found it!" she said out loud.

"What?" Maryann asked from behind her. "Is there something in the eggs?"

"No!" Sookie laughed, "I think I've found what I want to do with the rest of my life!"

"You're a hasty person!" Maryann scolded, "If you think one morning of cooking eggs can tell you your future!"

Sookie didn't say anything, but each thing she did convinced her even more she was right. As soon as the orders were finished, she grabbed a tray and headed into the dining room. As she removed dishes and refilled tea and coffee cups, she chatted with the guests about their plans for the day.

They came from all over. There was a couple from Texas, but two other couples were from The Netherlands. There was a man from Norway and another from Germany. Each were happy to spend a few minutes, talking of what they'd seen and what they liked best. For Sookie, it was her dream come true. She was in a different part of the world, meeting people who came from everywhere. She could feel her smile getting bigger and bigger.

Cleaning the kitchen took over an hour. Everything had to be scrubbed and scoured until it gleamed. "No lunch or dinner for guests," Maryann confirmed. "I'll put together a lunch for us, though since we're working, but I'll give you an hour off this afternoon so you can do some grocery shopping for yourself. You have money?"

"Yes," Sookie confirmed. "I have an account here in town." They were just finishing with their cleaning when a chime sounded.

"Oh," Maryann looked toward the hall, "They'll be checking out now." Sookie followed and together they went through the process of finalizing bills and processing payments. One couple from The Netherlands was staying two more nights, but the rest were on their way to their next stop on their trail.

Maryann pulled out a book. All the records were written long-hand in an actual ledger. Maryann recorded each guest, her penmanship neat and meticulous. She gave people the printed receipt from the credit card machine she used to process the payments as their invoice, then stuck her copy of the same receipt into an envelope. "No computer?" Sookie asked.

"Never figured them out," Maryann said a little defensively. When the check-outs were finished, Maryann flipped the page to the list of those with reservations for tonight.

"You know," Sookie said, "If you wanted, I could set this all up on a ledger program. I did a lot of work with them at The Grand. It wouldn't take much. I could get everything put together in one place, your expenses, reservations, everything."

"It can't be complicated," Maryann cautioned.

"I'm no computer whiz," Sookie laughed. "I couldn't do it if it was complicated! I'll tell you what. I will just do a little, so you can see what it would look like. If you like it, I'll do the rest. If it doesn't make it easier, you like the way you're doing it now. Won't cost you anything!"

There was a laptop in the kitchen, so Sookie wasn't worried about Maryann not having experience with computers. "If you do that and it works out, I'd pay you a little extra," Maryann agreed.

"Well, that's great!" Sookie told her, "Because I really think I'd like to earn enough to get a place of my own someday, just like this! This is everything I ever dreamed about."

"You do have a way of jumping to conclusions," Maryann laughed. "Let's see if you still feel that way after getting all the rooms ready. "Come on!" and the innkeeper led the way upstairs. "We need to get all the vacant rooms cleaned, plus make sure there's one extra ready for tonight."

Sookie had the cleaning and refreshing routine down after the first room, so she and Maryann split up. It wasn't very different from The Grand. Sookie stripped beds and remade things. She checked under beds and scoured bathrooms. Maryann had a cleaning agent that was so strong it made Sookie's eyes smart, but it also made the fixtures sparkle. There was no mopping for Maryann. She insisted that floors be done by hand, and baseboards be wiped down, too. Sookie had to admit, it made the rooms that much more inviting, but by the time she reached her fifth room, her back was complaining and her knees creaked a little.

By noon, they were back downstairs, looking over supplies for the coming morning. The bell sounded in the front hall and Maryann scowled.

"The sign out front says we don't check in guests until after three! Ignore it!" she told Sookie, and then she settled back into her chair, picking up her teacup, but the bell sounded again.

"It could be that couple that's staying," Sookie suggested. "Maybe they forgot their key!"

"Suit yourself!" Maryann shrugged after Sookie made clear she was going to walk out front regardless.

Sookie wiped her hands on a towel as she walked through to the formal hall. She swung open the fancy front door and found herself face to face with Breandan O'Hara. "Breandan! What are you doing back so soon? I didn't think you were coming back to Slievemore for another couple of days," and then Sookie felt her face blush to burning. She felt as if he'd caught her and she could feel her flight or fight reaction kicking into high gear.

His brown eyes were so dark, it was as if his pupils had taken over. Sookie thought he might be irritated, but his voice was soft when he said, "I heard you left and I cut my trip short. May I come in?"

Sookie glanced nervously toward the kitchen, and then she made up her mind. "No, you can't!" she told him. Before he could say anything else, she said, "I'm working now! I'll be off around four. If you'd like to talk, we can do it then."

"But, I want to talk with you now!" Sookie felt Breandan try to push her mentally, and then he must have realized his mistake, because he pulled back. He literally leaned away from her and Sookie could see his confusion. She realized it had been some time since she'd denied him anything, so doing it now felt good. Fight won out over flight and Sookie felt the unsaid things she'd been thinking since yesterday rise within her.

"Well, Breandan, I want things, too. I'd like to be in a relationship where the man in my life, the one I thought wanted to marry me, doesn't sleep with other people, but you taught me that sometimes you don't always get what you want." Sookie thought she wasn't that angry, but saying the words made her realize she was. "I told you I will talk with you when I'm finished with work, and I'm sorry if that doesn't work for you, but that's the way it is!" and Sookie Stackhouse closed the door in Breandan O'Hara's face, then turned the lock.

"He's very handsome," Maryann was standing at the open kitchen door. "I met Thomas O'Hara, the previous manager at The Grand a number of times. I'm assuming they're related. Your Breandan looks a lot like Thomas."

"I don't know," Sookie shrugged, "I never met Thomas."

"So, Breandan cheated on you, then?" and Maryann shook her head before adding, "Men are pigs!"

"Breandan's not a pig," Sookie sighed. "Things just didn't go the way I thought they would."

"Well, you put him in his place and you kept your self-respect. Most young women would have chucked their dignity to the wolves for the chance to go stepping out with a rich man who looks like that!" and Maryann shook her head.

"I don't see how I could keep my self-respect and just ignore what he did." Sookie took a deep breath, "Besides, I gave you my word. I agreed to work for you this season and I take that seriously."

"Then, you're a young woman who's likely to go far." Maryann looked satisfied as she said, "Well, come on and let's finish our tea. I have some paperwork to work on."

"May I help you with that?" Sookie asked.

"You can do it for me if you'd like," and Maryann laughed.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

At four o'clock, Sookie stepped out the back door and walked across the driveway to the door leading up the stairs beside the garage to her apartment. She grabbed her purse and an extra sweater, then set off for town.

The sign on the store told her the grocery would be open for many more hours, so Sookie went instead to the electronics store to buy herself a laptop. She looked at several models before choosing one she was sure would handle what she needed. She also picked up a software package that created ledgers and accounts and had received high ratings from users. Clutching her bag, Sookie headed back outside, thinking to go to Ghoul's Kiss next. It was early, but it would be dark enough for Eric and Pam to be around in another half hour. She looked to the left and then turned right and stepped right into Breandan.

"Were you intending to find me, or were you hoping you would escape my notice?" he asked, and then reached over to take the bag from her hand, saying, "Here, let me."

"Oh… I'm sorry… yes, I'm in town," Sookie stammered. Breandan flustered her. She couldn't imagine how he'd known where she was or if this was just a coincidence. Breandan didn't seem mad, but there was so much unsaid between them, it made Sookie feel uncomfortable. Not wanting to be beholden to him in any way, Sookie reached for her bag and took it back.

"Am I so hateful to you now that you won't even let me carry your bag?" Breandan asked. He sounded hurt and Sookie felt ashamed, and then she didn't.

"You don't get to do that!" she declared.

"Do what?" and there it was again, that confused, sad look.

"Be the hurt one," Sookie told him. "I'm not the one who was tomcatting around. I'm not the one who was lying…"

"I never lied to you!" Breandan was starting to look angry now. "You told me you didn't want to marry me, Sookie, remember? I would have asked. I would have given up everything, but I wasn't enough for you! I wasn't what you wished."

"Oh!" and the breath left her and just like that, she wasn't mad. "Is that what you thought? You thought because I told you I wasn't ready right away that I didn't want to marry you…" and then she stopped. "No, Breandan, that's not right! How many times have I told you I love you? How many times have I talked about us getting to know each other first before making promises for forever? You don't get to pretend that didn't happen. Why in the world would you think that sleeping with that stone-cold bitch, Mae, would be okay by me?"

"I owed her," he said as if that was the most reasonable thing in the world. He leaned closer to Sookie, making sure she saw him as he was, "You know what I am. You know what we are! It meant nothing. She wished it, so I gave it to her."

Sookie glanced around at the passersby. She really didn't want to be having this conversation on the street, but she wanted to be alone with Breandan talking about this even less. "So, you're telling me that fucking around is just a Fae thing and I shouldn't be jealous?" she whispered.

"Yes! Just so! You do understand now!" he smiled. "It is our way. Coupling is pleasurable and it passes the time."

"Well, that just goes to show how different we are. Giving myself to someone that way means a little more to me, Breandan O'Hara!" Sookie knew her jaw was jutting forward. It always happened when she was angry. "I can see it's different for you, but that kind of attitude just doesn't work for me. I've told you before, I'm a one-man woman and I expect the same from the man in my life." Sookie felt great on her moral high ground until she remembered that the man she'd said this to before wasn't Breandan. It was Eric Northman and she'd been kissing him at the time.

"If fidelity was so important to you, you should have told me it was part of your price," Breandan hissed. The words were bad, but the way he said them made it far worse.

"Fact is, Breandan, if I was so important to you, you should have taken the time to ask me what I wanted," and there it was. Sookie was angry, but looking at Breandan's face reminded her of those first sweet days in Boston. He had come into her life that night when her mother was so sick and rescued her. He took care of her and she really believed he cared, but it had been months since he'd shown any real interest in her or who she was, and that realization stiffened Sookie's backbone. Her chin lifted and she turned on her heel to leave.

"Perhaps you are right," It was said quietly and hearing it, the way he said it, made Sookie stop. He placed his hand on her arm. He didn't grab her. He just touched her. "I was so worried when my Father said you were missing," he said. His mouth was close to her ear and his breath caressed her neck, "I imagined you were captured and when I saw your necklace, I thought that Rogan…" and then he stopped.

"You hurt me," Sookie told him.

Breandan's hands traveled to Sookie's shoulders. He turned her toward him and brushed his thumb over her lower lip. "Forgive me?" he asked, looking right into her eyes. "Please."

Breandan's face came toward her and then his lips were on hers. Just breathing in his breath made Sookie feel better and he kissed her in the gentle way he could have, the way that made her want to linger. When he straightened, he brushed her hair away from her face. "I miss you," he told her. "Mae is gone. Things will change. Come back with me, now."

There was a part of Sookie who wanted to say yes, a disturbingly large part that remembered the way things had been between them and yearned for it to be that way again, but her head was calling the shots today. "It didn't have to be like this," she told Breandan, her voice cracking. "There were plenty of times you could have changed how things between us went together, but you didn't. I've found a place here I like. It gives me some space to myself to think things through. I'm not saying we're done, Breandan, but I am saying I'm not moving back in with you, not right away. If we're meant to be together, we will be, but that courting thing you promised me back in Boston? If you really want me, you're going to have to do that!"

"But you enjoy sex with me!" Breandan was looking confused again. "You belong in my bed! I am happiest when I'm with you, in you and you are happy, too!"

"Relationships are about more than just sex," Sookie sighed. "Maybe my agreeing to live with you right away gave you the wrong impression. I mean it, Breandan. If you really want to be with me, we are going to have to start over," and not wanting to leave on a bad note, Sookie pulled his head down, and then turned to kiss his cheek, rather than the lips he offered.

It was hard walking away from him. Breandan was absolute perfection as always, and Sookie could sense he meant his words as much as he ever did, but Sookie could also see he just wasn't getting it, getting her. Each step away didn't get any easier though, it only got harder. She almost turned around, willing to negotiate away her concerns. She figured if she asked for the two of them to return to Killary, he'd say yes. The way he had been looking at her, Sookie figured he'd say yes to just about anything right now to get her back, but it wasn't enough. Not anymore.

The street lights blinked on, so Sookie headed up the street toward Ghoul's Kiss, hoping Pam was back because she could really use a friend right now.

Sookie didn't see her when she walked in, but the bartender was one she recognized. "Looking for Pam?" he asked and when she nodded, he went out back.

Pam walked out just a minute later, looking very spring-like. She was wearing a sheath dress in some cream color and her jacket was covered with a print featuring bright flowers in pinks and blues. "Are you all settled in?" she asked. "I'll have to throw you a housewarming party!" She joined Sookie at the table and looked at the bag on the extra chair. "That looks intriguing. Most girls buy themselves furniture or clothes to celebrate moving on with their lives. A computer?"

"Maryann is handling all of her reservations off a pad of paper. She said if I can automate her and make it easy, she'll pay me a little extra," and Sookie sipped from the gin and tonic the bartender set in front of her. Pam was sipping something different from her mug and Sookie wondered if it was blood.

"You're ambitious!" Pam exclaimed, which she said like it was a good thing. "So, you've taken on a new job, you're finding ways to earn more on the side, so what are you planning to do with all this new-found money of yours?"

"I know it sounds crazy," Sookie shrugged, "but this B&B thing? I think I could do this! It's pretty much everything I ever wanted. It's a home of my own but, at the same time, I get to meet new people from all over the world. I do some cooking, but not a lot, then during the day, my time is my own."

"Own your own B&B?" and Pam looked at her as if she was crazy. "People coming in and out of where you live all the time? Strangers? I don't know, Sookie," and she saluted the woman across from her with her glass, "You sure know how to walk on the wild side."

It occurred to Sookie that Pam's concerns might be more specific. She'd heard stories about how vampires needed to sleep all day. "May I ask you a personal question?" When Pam raised her eyebrow, Sookie continued, "Is it true? Do you really sleep in a coffin?"

"You are my favorite breather!" Pam laughed. "Sometimes. When vampires travel long distances, we do use coffins or at least they look like coffins, but they're specially designed for us. For one thing, they lock from the inside. The rest of the time, no, we sleep in beds like everyone else."

"May I ask you something else?" and Sookie glanced at Pam's mug.

"You're going to ask about the blood. Yes, that's true. We need human blood to survive. There's a synthetic version that came out recently and substitutes well. It's not generally available, but Eric and I order it in bulk, TruBlood. It doesn't taste great," and Pam grimaced at the cup, "but it works when the real thing isn't available."

"You don't have to kill people to survive, do you?" It slipped out and Sookie blushed, stammering, "Oh! I am so sorry! That didn't come out right at all!"

"It's okay!" Pam just shook her head. "Younger vampires do need more than older vampires, but unless we're really damaged, we don't need more than a cup or two a day. Not saying taking more isn't pleasurable for us, because it is. You should know it's pretty pleasurable for the human involved, too, but, no, there's really no need for anyone to be hurt."

"Oh." Sookie was flustered. Pam was her friend, but, still, she felt as if she'd infringed on her friend's privacy in a rude way.

After the silence stretched between them a little too long, Pam asked, "So, why were you looking so upset when you walked in here?" 

"Was I?" Sookie asked and when Pam rolled her eyes, Sookie told her, "Breandan. I saw him before I came. He wants me back."

"I'll bet he does!" Pam snarked, then wiping the sarcasm from her tone, she asked, "Would you go back?"

"No," Sookie shook her head, "at least not right away. It's hard. He does such hurtful things, but then I remember all the good things and how kind he was to my Mother. She really liked him."

"He's Fae," Pam told her. "His beliefs about certain things are different than yours."

"Like monogamy?" Sookie asked. She kept seeing Breandan's face as he told her that coupling was a way to pass the time.

Pam nodded, "Maybe it's because they're immortal. You knew that about him, right?"

"He told me," Sookie looked down. "Is that how all of you view sex? As just something to do, like eating and watching TV?"

"Not all of us, no," Pam leaned back. "I don't want you to get the wrong impression, we do have meaningless sex most of the time but, once we commit to someone, we're faithful to them. For vampires, we commit through bonding or a formal contract, sometimes both. If you cheat, though, it's considered a blood offense and the injured party could demand your final death. I don't know enough about the Seelie to know if they have something similar, but I'm betting they do. There are stories about them going to war with each other over infidelities, but here's the thing. Since we live forever, those kinds of commitments are never made lightly. I can think of only a handful of vampires who have ever chosen to bond. It's mostly done as a ceremonial thing involving marriage contracts among our royalty. It cements alliances and business deals with the contract having an expiration date."

"Have you ever been bonded?" Sookie asked.

"Nope and not likely to," Pam laughed. "I like my freedom too much! I will tell you, if I was to find some woman who had me considering it? I'd still be thinking long and hard! Once you bond, it's forever, or until final death."

"No divorce, then?" Sookie asked.

"Sure, as long as it's just a marriage contract, but bonding? Bonding with a vampire is forever," Pam nodded.

"Breandan said he wanted to marry me," and Sookie found her thoughts pulled back to her conversation with the Fae.

"When did he say that?" Pam asked.

"Just now, earlier, when I saw him. He said he was willing to give up everything and marry me, but he figured I wasn't interested because I told him I wanted to wait."

Pam looked uncomfortable. "The Fae don't lie," she said carefully, "but I don't think he meant those words exactly how you may have taken them."

"What does that mean?" Sookie asked.

"I don't know," Pam back-pedaled, then asked, "Are you hungry? We can get something out of the kitchen." There were other people starting to stream in and the waitresses were moving among the tables.

Sookie glanced at her watch, "Oh my goodness! I need to get going! I have to shop and the grocery store will be closing in about an hour."

"And you were going to drag heavy bags back to your apartment on foot?" Pam rolled her eyes. "Good thing you stopped by. I'll get my car and give you a lift."

They stood, and then Sookie remembered her manners. "Is Eric here?" she asked. "I need to say something to him before we leave."

"He's in back," Pam's eyes narrowed. "Is it something I can pass along? He's pretty busy and he has people coming."

"I really need to say it in person," Sookie insisted. "It won't take a minute."

"Well, come on, then" and Pam led her down the short hallway and knocked on a closed door before opening it.

Eric was sitting behind his desk. He was staring at his computer screen, keying in something from the stacks of paper in front of him. He looked irritated, but then his eyes slid over to Sookie and a slow smile formed on his face. He stood up and walked around the desk, then leaned back against it, crossing his arms, "Miss Stackhouse! To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

He was giving her such a cocky smile, Sookie had to smile right back, "I don't mean to be bothering you," she told him, "I just wanted to thank you for the flowers."

"You liked them?" and Eric sort of leaned forward. It wasn't exactly a leer, but it wasn't exactly polite either.

"I won't lie, I was kind of flattered by the card," and Sookie realized she was leaning forward a little, too. ' _Stop flirting with him!_ ' she scolded herself, forcing her stance to relax and straighten.

"I hope you found the flower selection interesting." and Eric said it in a way that had her toes curling.

"I don't know what you call them, but if you were trying to tell me I can run with the big dogs, like I said, I'm okay with that," Sookie glanced at Pam who was making a job of studying her nails. "I won't hold you up any further, I just wanted to say thank you. They made me smile."

Eric pushed off his desk and stalked toward her, there was no other way to say it. He stopped pretty close to her and stared down at her a moment before saying, "I respect courage, Sookie. Not many women I have met are truly brave. You are unusual."

Sookie examined his expression to see if he was mocking her, but she didn't see any evidence of it. "I don't see myself that way," she replied. "I just play the cards I'm dealt."

Eric's hand started to lift, but Sookie saw it and started. He must have understood her because Eric dropped his hand just as quickly. He turned to walk back behind his desk, "I don't suppose you do bookkeeping work," he said wryly.

"As a matter of fact, I do." The words were out of her mouth so fast, they surprised her as well as everyone else in the room. "Not a CPA or anything, but I can handle bookkeeping. I was just telling Pam that I'm going to set up my new boss's information. She's doing everything manually."

Eric glanced at his paperwork, "Would you be interested in taking on another customer?" he asked.

"You told me you were just starting this," Pam wasn't criticizing, but the look she was giving Sookie was definitely skeptical.

"I just spent the past couple of months at The Grand learning their reservations and accounting system. When I was in college, I took four semesters of accounting. I was head of my class." Sookie wasn't sure why this was important, but she wanted this job.

"So, you're a college graduate, too?" Pam asked.

"No," and Sookie shook her head. "I finished my sophomore year, but with my Mom being sick, I dropped out to take care of her."

"Eric told me about your Mom," Pam sympathized. "I'm sorry. That must have been hard."

"Still is," and Sookie felt her throat close and her chest get tight. "She'd be happy to know I'm here, though."

"With vampires?" Pam laughed.

"No! You know! In Ireland, meeting new people. It's what I always dreamed about, traveling," and then Sookie smirked, "but I do think meeting vampires gives it a little something extra."

"Then it's settled," Eric interrupted. "You will handle our bookkeeping and I'll pay you," and he named a figure that made Sookie's mouth fall open.

"That sounds like too much," Sookie told him.

"I intend to train you to handle our tax filings," Eric told her. "I can't imagine you had time to learn that at The Grand, but it would be worth it to me to have someone I can trust handle that end of things."

"Well," and the reality of what she had stepped into started to sink in, "Let's just say I'll work for you on a trial period. You may not like how I do things or you may have something else in mind."

"Oh, I have something else in mind, Miss Stackhouse," Eric smirked.

"This is a business arrangement," Sookie snapped back. "Strictly business!"

"Of course," Eric grinned. "We," and he glanced at Pam, "will make arrangements to drop the receipts at your home every evening. We'll take care of the bank deposits and just include the slip so you can balance the books. I will also send over my invoices. Pam will arrange access to the business bank account so you can pay vendors. Will that be acceptable?"

"That would be great," Sookie was starting to feel a tad less confident, but Eric leaned over his desk, extending his large hand, and Sookie stepped toward him so she could extend her own and they shook on it.

There was a knock on the door and they all turned to see a tall man with red hair enter. He was looking straight at Eric and he bowed rather formally at the waist before saying, "Sheriff!"

"Clancy," Eric responded and releasing Sookie's hand, he bowed his head in return.

Sookie couldn't help it, "Sheriff?"

"Clancy? This is my new bookkeeper, Miss Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie, you'll see Clancy's name on the employee's list. Make sure you process his paycheck first," and Eric flashed the stranger a quick grin.

"What are you?" Clancy was staring at Sookie, his eyes narrowed.

"Need a lift home?" Pam interrupted and touching Sookie's arm, steered her toward the door. Clancy continued staring at her, so Sookie stared right back.

They were almost to the door of the pub when Sookie remembered, "Pam, you sure you don't mind stopping at the grocery store? If I don't get there soon, I'll have nothing in the house to eat."

"I don't mind kibitzing while you shop," Pam shrugged. "It gets me out of having to sit through another boring meeting here."

Once they pulled into the parking lot, Sookie couldn't contain herself any longer, "Sheriff?"

"Eric will have to tell you about that himself," Pam said quickly. "I've told you vampires have a hierarchy. Titles like Eric's are a part of that."

"So, he's someone important?" Sookie persisted.

"He thinks he is," Pam sassed, but wouldn't be drawn into any more conversation on the subject.

Turned out grocery shopping with Pam was both fun and frustrating. With her vampire nose, she could immediately pick out ripe fruit and the freshest produce, but because she had no personal interest in eating, she also kept up a running, caustic commentary on additives, sugar, and the useless waste of eating pastries. She was so critical, Sookie ended up putting back the cookies and snacks, something she was sure she'd regret later.

"If you want help carrying things up the stairs, you'll have to secure me an invitation," Pam informed her when they pulled around the back of Seacoast Shores.

Sookie glanced at the main house. She could see the kitchen light was on, which meant Maryann was probably sitting at the table watching shows on her computer. "What's an invitation?" Sookie asked as they walked to the kitchen door.

"Vampires can't enter a house unless the true owner gives them permission," Pam shrugged. "Think of it as a supernatural deadbolt."

"Is that a strictly vampire thing?" Sookie asked. "Might have come in handy with some other Fae I know." As Sookie knocked on the back door, she thought through how she'd maneuver things so that Maryann would say the right words. Sure enough, it was Maryann who swung the door open.

"Sookie? You have a key," Maryann reminded her.

"I left it inside my place and pulled the door shut," Sookie lied, then turning, said, "By the way, this is my friend, Pam Ravenscroft. She and her boss, Eric Northman, are going to have me handle their books, too. You don't mind if they come inside my place to talk and drop stuff off, do you?"

"Give me a minute," and Maryann disappeared, then came back, handing Sookie an extra key. Sookie held her breath, hoping Maryann would say the right words, and then she did, "Your friends are welcome to come inside any time as long as your side jobs doesn't interfere with your work for me." Maryann extended her hand to Pam, introducing herself and Pam returned the favor.

"So, you can consider yourself invited, right?" Sookie confirmed.

"Appreciate it," Pam answered, but she said it directly to Maryann.

The two women stared at each other for a long moment before Maryann said, "Well, then, have a nice night," and stepping back, closed the door.

Sookie and Pam ended up making several trips up the stairs, lugging bags full of food and supplies. Sookie started to put things away and Pam sat down at the small table, took Sookie's laptop out of its box, and started setting it up. "Is Maryann married?" Pam asked.

"Nope," Sookie shook her head. "From what she told me, she had a sweetheart, but it didn't work out. Her family helped her buy this place, and it's pretty much her life now."

"Was that sweetheart male or female?" Pam asked and the way she asked made Sookie stare.

"You better not be thinking about screwing around with my boss," Sookie warned.

"Women don't screw with other women," Pam said archly, "We lick out our differences!"

"That's a little TMI for me," Sookie laughed. "I say, celebrate our differences, but I'm not sure how close I want to get to the details!"

"Oh, sure, like you're subtle! The way you and Eric circle around each other?" Pam teased. "I feel like 'get a room' should be tattooed on your forehead!"

"We flirt," Sookie stammered. "That doesn't mean anything. People flirt."

"Sure," Pam winked. "Not a thing! Well," she turned the laptop around, "You're up and running. I used the Wi-Fi address from the B&B. I'm sure your boss doesn't mind."

Sookie sat down and brought up her email account. "First things first," and she started going through the steps to change her password. "I'm thinking I should probably just set up a new email account altogether."

"You gave other people access to your email account?" Pam asked.

"I didn't think much about sharing my account with Breandan before," Sookie shrugged and then she felt a little guilty. They had shared the account, so remembering now had Sookie remembering other things they shared. "After all, I am working for his rivals, sort of. What kind of bookkeeper would I be if I was letting the competition see our correspondence?"

"So, how did Breandan look when you rejected him, again?" Pam was staring at Sookie in that focused way she got sometimes.

"He didn't look happy," Sookie sighed. "He got a little huffy. I thought for a minute he was going to go all Nicholas Cage on me and order me back into his bed! I don't know! I miss him. I'd be lying if I said I didn't, but the Breandan I miss is that guy from Boston who plays fiddle in the band and takes me on wonderful hour-long adventures he arranged with me in mind. It's not the guy who dumps me in a hotel with a bunch of people who look at me as if I'm some troglodyte who's tracking mud on their carpets, and then walks away to sleep with the bitch-in-chief.

"Did Breandan say anything about Mae?" Pam asked.

"I guess they fired her," Sookie shrugged.

"I guess that's one way of putting it," Pam replied, but wouldn't add more when Sookie questioned her. "Look at the time!" Pam said instead. "I'm surprised Eric hasn't started stalking me!" and as if on cue, Pam's phone buzzed. She glanced and confirmed, "The Master calls! I have to go."

Sookie walked Pam to the door and Pam moved swiftly down the stairs, but instead of getting into her car right away, she stayed in the shadows and slowly scanned the area. That's when she saw him. He wasn't tall, but that was common for Selkies. He was across the street near the rocks that lay between the road and the sea. It was his eyes. They had that shine while he was looking directly toward the house. Pam pushed her speed dial and when Eric answered, Pam told him, "She may be danger."

 **xxxXXXxxx**

' _Bitch!_ ' The word kept circling in Breandan's mind as he speed-walked back to the hotel. She wasn't coming back? She expected him to court her? She felt she deserved more of him? "My wife is dead because of you!" he hissed under his breath. Breandan's face must have reflected every bit of his fury because the people who saw him stepped out of his way or quickly crossed the street to avoid being near him.

He was barely better after he returned to The Grand, growling at Preston as he stalked through to his apartment. "Father!" he snapped, pushing the open door further, but the intruder wasn't his Father. Claude sat on the small couch.

"I just heard about Mae," Claude told him. "I know you don't want me here, but I had to let you know how sorry I am."

"Your timing couldn't be better!" Breandan growled. "I was wrong about her. You were right. You were right about everything!" Claude stood and opened his arms, and Breandan stepped into them.


	20. Chapter 19 - Swinging Away

**Chapter 19 – Swinging Away**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

April gave way to May and the season of the walkers was well and fully underway. Every night the beds of Seacoast Shores were full of tired but exuberant adventurers and every morning, those guests came downstairs, lining their luggage up in the front room for pick-up by their touring company, preparing themselves for the next ten to fifteen miles of trail ahead of them.

Days for Sookie started early. By five in the morning, she was up and in the kitchen of the main house, prepping things for the morning rush. There were box lunches to make for those who ordered them and the grocery list to prepare for tomorrow's breakfast.

When guests came downstairs, Sookie handled the stove. Most menu selections featured eggs and Sookie's sure touch made assembling orders easier. Maryann would take over for the last half hour, giving Sookie a chance to spend time with the guests, asking them where they were from and hearing about the sights they'd seen in Ireland so far.

There were places in Slievemore catering to more long-term guests, but those who came here to see the local sights were more likely to book a room downtown at places like The Grand. It made things at Seacoast Shores both easier and harder. Since most of the guests here were walking the long, circular trail that took them from town to town, they were only here for one night. The rooms were generally easier to clean, but they had to be fully refreshed every day, which meant fresh sheets and fresh towels. Sookie spent every afternoon transferring laundry from the washing machines to the dryers, and then folding in preparation for tomorrow when it would start again.

When later afternoon rolled around, Sookie ran errands. She shopped for both the B&B and for herself. Maryann loaned Sookie her car for these trips, so Sookie took advantage of the business owner's discount to save herself money on groceries as well. She was more and more convinced owning a place like Maryann's was the future she wished for herself. She thought of the town she'd visited in the south where her Grandmother lived and the countryside surrounding it. There were places on the national trail there that had views of the ocean and she dreamed of greeting strangers who, in the course of twenty-four hours, would become her friends.

Most evenings, either Pam or Eric would stop by. Pam might stay for a chat, but Eric rarely did. They came to the door and dropped off the receipts from the previous evening. If Sookie was on evening duty, keeping the door open at Seacoast Shores and checking in the guests who were out until late, the vampires would come to the front door. Even though they had invitations, they rarely came inside Seacoast Shores. Sometimes, though, Sookie would join them outside and they'd sit on a little patio in the front of the house, looking at the harbor waters that lay just across the street.

For a few weeks, Sookie headed into town on her evenings off. Usually, she went to Ghoul's Kiss. It was fun, until it wasn't. When Pam was there, she always made time to sit with Sookie and chat, but then she started leaving town. Clancy, the vampire Sookie had seen in Eric's office, was starting another club for them a few towns over, so Pam was working closely with him to get things off the ground. With Pam out of town, Eric was busy, too. That left long periods of time when Sookie was sitting by herself, a drink in front of her, wondering about her future, and hoping she didn't look like a woman turning into the town drunk.

Breandan hadn't called. He didn't stop by the B&B again. Sookie kept half-expecting to see him when she came into town, walking toward her. Slievemore wasn't that big and Sookie knew they frequented the same stores, but the days passed, and then weeks, with no sighting. She knew she shouldn't be missing him. He'd done nothing to deserve it, but Sookie did. She missed the way his eyes softened when he saw her. She remembered the feel of his hands drifting over her and at night in her bed, she drifted her own hands over her breasts and shoulders, eyes closed, pretending they were his. There were times almost every day that her hand reached for her phone, thinking of the words she'd text, but then she remembered how there were times at The Grand she'd been just as lonely as she was now when Breandan had been there. ' _You are missing the idea of him_ ,' Sookie told herself, but, still, as each day passed, she felt her hours grow just a little emptier.

Finally, after about a month, Sookie stopped going out on her nights off. It was just as comfortable to sit in her apartment, watching shows streaming on her laptop and sipping tea. She read books and worked, and she surfed the real estate listings looking at B&Bs for sale that she couldn't afford to buy.

It was a fine Tuesday night when Eric Northman knocked on her door. That wasn't unusual. He'd drop the receipts, maybe tease her, and then go on his way, so Sookie wasn't expecting anything different.

"Hello," she said, almost before the door was opened, but when she looked toward him it was to find a bouquet of flowers. "Oh!" she hesitated. Sookie was so surprised Eric had to extend the flowers a second time before she moved to take them.

"I was worried about you," Eric told her. "I've become accustomed to seeing you sitting in my pub. Have I done something to offend you?"

"No," Sookie smiled, "Of course not!" She glanced at her table and the mess she'd left there. "I'm just trying to save money." It was a lame excuse, but one she figured Eric would accept.

"Perhaps you would invite me in," he suggested. That was new. Eric, especially, had been careful to decline any invitation to enter Sookie's apartment, so Sookie was now convinced he regretted their kiss as much as she did.

"Uh," and Sookie stepped back, "Sure. I guess."

It occurred to Sookie she'd stopped being intimidated by Eric's size. He was a large man, tall and broad-shouldered. As he stepped past her, she found her eyes drawn to his butt. It was a truly gorgeous butt, rounded and muscled in a way that filled out his pants and made her want to touch it. He stopped near her table and leaned over, she assumed to look at her computer screen, which made her eyes zero in even more. She may have audibly gulped, and then blushed bright red when she realized he was watching her over his shoulder. He knew exactly what she was doing and he wiggled his posterior just a little to make sure she knew! "If you'd like a closer look, I'm sure I can arrange that for you," he purred.

"I am so sorry," and Sookie closed her eyes. "That was just rude!"

"I fluster you," he stated as Sookie opened her eyes, placing her hands against her flaming cheeks to cool them.

"You don't fluster me," Sookie lied.

Eric had turned around and was leaning against her table, his legs apart and his arms folded across his chest. Just standing there, he made her apartment look small. "I like it!" he told her. His eyes were dancing and his lip curled up at the corner just a bit. There was no dimple, but he was a very handsome man. When Sookie didn't say anything, he asked, "Would you mind if I visited with you? I took the night off and I find myself at loose ends."

"Like me," Sookie said, and then realized she'd given away too much. "It's not that I'm lonely," she started to explain, and then blushed harder, realizing she was just digging the hole deeper.

"You are lonely?" He said it as if it would never have occurred to him, and then after a moment, "Of course. You would not have made friends at The Grand and Pam has been busy with Clancy. I apologize for that. We had an opportunity to expand our business and I didn't wish to miss it. I didn't think about how that would affect you."

"That's okay," Sookie shrugged. "It's nice of you to say, of course, but I would never expect you to change how you do things because of me. We're friends, that's all."

Sookie didn't see him move. She was in his arms and his lips were on hers. Her hands came up to push him away, but, instead, they pulled him to her. It was as if her head just switched off and her heart and that area down lower roared into overdrive. It was the park all over again and Sookie could swear she felt a wind form around them, pushing them closer instead of blowing them apart. His mouth slanted over hers and she opened her lips to admit him. Their tongues danced, and then his hands swept up her back, and then down again to pull her against him. Her hands slipped around him to massage his butt, before Sookie looped her arms up and around his neck and that pressed her against him, leaving nothing to her imagination. She could feel his chest, hard against her breasts and his harder length nestled against her stomach.

Eric's arms loosened and he pulled her away a little, allowing him to look at her, "I've missed you," he told her. His fangs were peeking out from under his upper lip and Sookie pulled his head back to hers so she could lick them. He moaned and it made her feel strong and desired.

Eric pulled back again, "We must stop," he told her, "Or we won't stop and you will regret it."

Sookie gulped and took a steadying breath before suggesting, "We could be friends with benefits." She knew it was a bad idea, but her heart was pounding, drowning out all her good intentions.

Eric's eyes narrowed, "I do not wish to be your friend, Miss Stackhouse. I intend to be your Lover. I intend to have you for my own and I have no interest in sharing you."

There was something in the way he said it that made Sookie gulp. "I don't know you very well," she stammered.

"I intend to fix that, too," and laughing, light Eric was back. He pushed Sookie into one of her kitchen chairs, and then walked to the opposite side of the table and sat down.

"May I get you something?" Sookie asked automatically, then blushed again, "I'm sorry. I guess I don't really have anything to offer you."

"I wouldn't say that," Eric laughed, "but, no, I'm fine." He looked at the open laptop again. "Pam told me you are thinking of opening your own B&B here in Ireland."

Sookie glanced at the screen, "I'd like to, but it will be awhile before I can afford to buy anything here. The first step is getting my citizenship in order and that's going to take pretty much everything I've saved so far. Still, it's the first step and that's how any journey starts, right?"

"Perhaps there's something I can do to help," Eric offered. He'd sat back, allowing the tension between them to dissipate.

"I appreciate it," Sookie nodded, "but I'm doing okay, no snags. I have most of the paperwork together. It's just saving up for the fees."

"Why don't I give you the money?" He just said it, but the thought made Sookie's breath catch.

"I couldn't!" Sookie shook her head. "I'm working and it's not that much, not really. It won't take me that long."

"I don't understand," Eric's eyebrows drew together, "I have the money. I'd be happy to give it to you."

"There's a word for women who take money from men. If you really mean it as a loan and you draw up a contract, I'm fine, but I'd rather not have money between us, if you know what I mean." Sookie wasn't sure Eric did know what she meant. His head was cocked to the side and he looked confused.

"I don't understand. I have money, more than I can use. This would make you happy…"

"And beholden to you," Sookie interrupted. "I don't want to be beholden to another man."

"I am not Breandan Brigant!" Eric growled.

"And that's another thing," Sookie said, "I don't feel like I'm in a position to encourage you. I don't know where I stand with Breandan, I really don't. I know I'm angry with him, but there's history there, Eric. We've been together for awhile and through some tough times and he says he wants me back. It's not that I don't like you, but I don't know you. Breandan was there with my Mom and he took care of us. He protected us. I can't explain it, but I don't know what I would have done without him."

"He doesn't respect you," Eric was looking down his nose at her. "He may tell you what you wish to hear, but his motives are not true."

"I get where you'd say that, seeing as how you're telling me you want me to be your Lover and all," and Sookie didn't bother hiding her sarcasm. "I won't say I'm not attracted to you, really attracted, but I need to figure out where I stand with Breandan."

"Are you sure what you feel for Breandan is affection?" Eric asked her. "You sound beholden to him, Sookie, not like a woman in love."

"I don't think I need your opinion on that right now!" For some reason, Eric's words stung and Sookie had a sneaking suspicion it was because he was right. She stood. "Maybe it's time for you to leave."

"I apologize for my choice of words," and Eric slightly bowed his head. It was frustrating. He had been there, she had trusted him, but Eric didn't think this was the right time to tell Sookie how he had first met her. Instead, he waited until Sookie sat back down and said, "I wish we had met in Boston in a way that allowed you to know me. I am sure it was a difficult time, a confusing time. To lose loved ones is never easy."

Sookie nodded, "My Mom was all the real family I had left," and a tear slipped over her cheek. "I guess one good thing that did come out of it was I got to know my Aunt Linda again. She and I email now and she's trying to find my brother, Jason. He joined the Navy and left us before my Mom got sick."

"Family is important to you," Eric said. He looked at the framed photograph of Sookie, her mother, and Breandan that had been taken that last Thanksgiving. It was the only picture hanging on the wall and Sookie had placed it where she could easily see it.

"It is," Sookie agreed. "I think it can make you strong, knowing where you come from. There's something about knowing you can fight and drift apart from someone but, in the end, you're still connected, no matter what," and Sookie thought of her brother.

The chime on the laptop sounded, telling Sookie she'd received an email. She glanced at the pop-up message before smiling at Eric. "My attorney from America," she explained. "He's working on finalizing my Mom's estate through probate. Always seems there's more papers that need to be signed and another decision for me to make."

"Your Mother had money?" Eric asked.

"Not a bit!" Sookie shrugged. "I know! All this fuss over nothing, but Mr. Cataliades…"

"That is the name of your attorney?" Eric asked. There was something in his voice that made Sookie pay attention.

"Yes, Desmond Cataliades. He lived near my family in Worcester. When Mom got sick he helped us with all the papers, the power of attorney, that kind of stuff. Now, he's wrapping up the rest for me." Just saying the words brought it all back, but Eric didn't seem to notice.

"It's an unusual name, Cataliades." Eric watched her carefully. "You knew him long?"

"Not really," Sookie replied. "He moved into a house in our neighborhood a little while after we moved there. We didn't see him much, mostly at neighborhood events. He decorated his house for Halloween, but, no, I wouldn't say we really knew him. But it doesn't matter. He's helping me out for nothing, which is way more than I could ever expect."

"You'll accept services from him, but not a loan from me," Eric observed.

"It's different," Sookie snapped back. "Mr. Cataliades has no expectations of me and you seem to have expectations by the bucket-load!"

Eric laughed, "You have a rare turn of phrase, Sookie!" He sobered, "I wouldn't mention your choice of attorney to Breandan if you see him."

"I'm pretty sure he knows," Sookie shrugged. "We were sharing an email account until I booted him out, so he could have read my emails."

"He has returned from his vacation," Eric told her. When Sookie looked surprised, he added, "I expect you will see him again soon.

"He was on vacation?" Sookie knew her voice betrayed her. She hadn't heard from Breandan in weeks, so knowing he was out of town gave her an absurd sense of hope.

"Yes, your knight in shining armor was traveling with friends," Eric wanted to tell her it was with one particular friend, but he couldn't bring himself to twist the knife. He wanted to tell her she was being watched and followed everywhere she went, tethered to an invisible leash. He wanted to tell her to reject Breandan Brigant once and for all, but he could see that, regardless of what he said, Sookie wouldn't believe him. She would believe he was more motivated by jealousy than anything.

Eric glanced over at Sookie. She was staring at the photo he'd noticed earlier and she was smiling. ' _Not yet_ ,' he cautioned himself, so instead said, "Well, you won't take money from me, so what if I offered you part-time work for your nights off? It would help you earn what you need that much faster."

"Doing what?" Sookie asked and just as quickly, "So you know, I never know what nights I'll be off until the beginning of the week."

"I'm prepared to be flexible," Eric shrugged. "Come waitress at Ghoul's Kiss. Pam tells me you did that in America. There's more business at the pub than I can handle. An extra set of hands would be appreciated and I can teach you to tend bar if you like. It's good money and it doesn't have to be every week. You can let me know when you aren't coming in."

"You'd do that?" Sookie was pretty sure this wasn't a great idea, but it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. They negotiated her salary, which surprised Sookie. She was used to having tips be her primary income, but Eric explained how things worked in Ireland. "The tip is built in," he told her. "If they leave you extra, it's yours, but most don't."

"What if I start this Thursday?" Sookie asked and it was done.

"Thank you, Eric," Sookie said as he left.

"That's not the thanks I want," he told her, and then he turned and snaked his arm around her waist, pulled her close, and kissed her. Sookie struggled, but only for a moment before melting into the feel of him against her. "Now, you're welcome," he said against her lips, then released her so suddenly she staggered.

"Asshole!" Sookie hissed and was rewarded by his chuckling as he ghosted down the stairs. He moved too quickly for a human across the yard, heading for the street. Sookie watched him and, for a moment, she thought she saw a shadow move independently among the rocks near the sea, but then it was gone. "You need some sleep!" Sookie told herself, "you're seeing things," and she turned the light off and headed back up the stairs.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"The vampires are there every night!" Rogan snarled. "And last night Northman was inside her apartment with her for a long time! What are they up to?"

"She's working for them," Breandan shrugged. "What do you care as long as she's staying in your territory? How go things with Uncle Niall?"

"Why don't you ask Claude?" Rogan sniped. "He's his Grandfather, I'm sure he could tell you!"

"You know Claude is not close to his sire nor his family," Breandan rolled his eyes. Rogan's underlying message was always the same; Breandan might enjoy his time in his cousin's bed, but he should be using the time productively to milk information from Claude and not just find his pleasure. "So, Father, does Niall continue to pay?"

"He does!" Breandan thought the tribute must be exceptional because Rogan was looking particularly satisfied. "He is determined to keep her safe. A pity he doesn't know how non-magical she is. If he did, he might not pay so well." Rogan's eyebrows pulled together, "He must have unrest among his people that he is so willing to accept what I tell him of her. He hasn't pushed me once for proof."

Breandan's eyebrows pulled together. It seemed unlikely his Uncle would fold this way unless it served his own purpose, but Rogan appeared too giddy in his triumph to question as he should, and then his giddiness was gone. "Why is she still living apart from you?" Breandan hadn't noticed the swift change in his Father, so he stumbled his answer.

"She refused me," Breandan realized his words sounded like failure, so he quickly added, "She wishes me to court her again. A test of sorts."

"When is the last time you saw her?" Rogan wasn't going to let this go.

Breandan lowered his head in resignation, "Almost a month ago. I needed to renew. I traveled to the forts."

"But not alone," and Rogan's eyes narrowed. "I am happy for your occupations, Breandan, but it is foolhardy to think that all will remain well. Niall is paying a great deal for the hybrid. Word will travel, if it hasn't already. You may think the vampires harmless, but I know better. For all you know, Northman has already told his Queen about her. Sophie-Ann is well-connected. It wouldn't take her long to ferret out the truth. She probably already heard rumors through the Selkies you have watching her. Their races may not talk much, but they do talk. You seduced the hybrid once. She wishes to be courted. Get her back under your thumb!"

"For how long?" Breandan couldn't help it. This month had been renewing. He reflected on all the feelings Sookie Stackhouse elicited. Yes, being with her had made him happy, happier than he remembered, but she also left him confused and angry. When he was with her, he lost his way. He considered forgetting who he was and what he was and that could not happen again. Mae was dead because of her. He and Claude fought. When his Father simply stared at him, Breandan whined, "Surely there is someone else who can do this?"

"You were able to overlook her deformities," Rogan pointed out. "I can't trust others here to do the same. Look what happened during her time at The Grand! You are the only one I can trust with this." When Breandan didn't agree right away, Rogan rose, "As your King, I command you! Bring her back to heel and do it quickly."

Later, that night, Breandan told Claude his troubles. "I can think of better ways to waste your time," Claude sympathized, "but, really, it shouldn't be that hard. She wants romance and flowery words. I'll write you a script. You romanced her once, you can have her dancing to your tune again."

"There is no dying Mother this time to push her," Breandan pointed out, "or well-meaning friends to trick into singing my praises."

"She doesn't know me well," Claude shrugged. "I could befriend her. We can share secrets."

"She's smart and she can spot lying," Breandan warned. "She's working for the vampires and Northman hates you. That might cause problems."

"How many excuses do you have?" Claude asked. "You want to secure her? I can get you there. Do you want my help or not?" Claude grabbed Breandan's penis and stroked it, adding the extra twist to his wrist that soon had his lover hard. "It's as easy as that," he purred, leaning forward to nip at Breandan's lips. "Seduction isn't always in the act," and he stroked hard, causing Breandan to moan. "It's in the words," and Claude nuzzled his nose along Breandan's neck. "It's in the small looks and long pauses," and Claude punctuated his words by licking the delicate curve of his lover's ear. "It's being in her head," Claude ran his thumb over Breandan's weeping tip, then turned away, pressing his forehead against the mattress, "Now show me where you want your head, Breandan."

Breandan reached for the lube they'd used earlier, flipping the cap, and squeezing it onto his hard length. He threw the tube aside, stroking himself twice and then inserting two fingers, and then three into Claude's puckered rosebud, stretching and massaging a little before moving into position and pushing slowly forward.

"Was her ass this good?" Claude sighed, moaning as Breandan withdrew and then pushed forward more forcefully. "Did she even allow you fuck her this way?"

She had. It had taken some time to prepare Sookie, but the experience had been satisfactory. Breandan stilled, but Claude was having none of it. "Fuck me, you bastard!" he growled. "Show me who you prefer!" Claude reached beneath them and grabbed Breandan's balls, twisting a little and then squeezing. Breandan slapped Claude's ass, and then grabbed his cousin's hips hard enough to raise bruises. It was brutal, the way Claude liked it. Breandan felt Claude's ass clench around him as his cousin rocked backward, burying Breandan deeper. Claude's hands clenched the sheets and Breandan came with a roar. Yes, he had fucked Sookie Stackhouse like this, but she wasn't as good as Claude. No one was.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Hello," Maryann greeted Breandan at the door. "She's working."

"I thought she would be," Breandan smiled. He was dressed in the same kind of clothes he'd worn in Boston, casual slacks and a white, button-down shirt. He held out a bouquet of flowers wrapped in green florist paper. "If you'd see that she gets these," he said with his best smile. "And if you'd give her this," and he held out an envelope.

"Sure," Maryann shrugged, "for all the good it will do you. It's been awhile. A girl gets over things when she has time to think."

"Well, a man understands what he's lost when he takes that time. I hope you're wrong and Sookie has some small part left in her heart for me." Breandan let his eyes soften and when Maryann met his gaze, he captured her. "Tell her how much I missed her," he sighed. "Make her believe it."

"I will," Maryann readily agreed. Breandan released her and she came back to herself with a start. She looked at him as if she didn't quite remember why he was there or why she was, but then her mouth turned down and with a quick, "Good day," she shut the door.

Sookie was in the kitchen, finishing a batch of fried potatoes for tomorrow morning. "Breandan O'Hara just dropped these off," Maryann told her, and then held out the flowers. "He seemed pretty sincere about missing you."

Sookie shrugged, "You can leave those on the table," she said with a jerk of her chin. "I would rather finish things here than waste one more minute on Breandan."

"There's this, too," and Maryann held up the envelope. When Sookie didn't move to take it, Maryann set it on the table, but the flowers she took to the sink. She pulled out a vase and actually took some care clipping the stems and arranging them.

"Are you okay?" Sookie asked.

"Of course!" Maryann answered. "Why?"

"I don't know," Sookie was watching her boss. "You aren't acting like yourself. I'd just as soon throw those in the trash, but you're being all nice about it."

Maryann looked thoughtful before saying, "I can't explain it either. Maybe I just think it's worth giving someone like him a second chance."

Sookie finished what she was doing first. She put the potatoes on towels to drain and then, wiping her hands, she picked up the envelope and slit it open.

' _My Sookie_ ,' it started. The words that followed explained how hurt Breandan felt, blaming Sookie's lack of trust. ' _If you trusted me, you would follow your heart. You would not feel the need to wait. You would jump to me, as I have wanted to jump to you._ ' Sookie heard her Mother's voice, teasing her for over-thinking things. She remembered all the times her Mother told her that analysis-paralysis would cost Sookie the things she wanted someday and Sookie wondered if Breandan might be one of those things. Had her cautious approach to their courtship been unfair?

' _I'll think about this later,_ ' Sookie promised herself. She finished in the kitchen and then ran across the driveway in a light rain to get cleaned up. Tonight, she would be waitressing at Ghoul's Kiss. As she got her clothes ready for the hamper, she automatically went through pockets and her fingers found Breandan's letter again.

"I don't know!" she said out loud. She threw the letter into the wastebasket, but when she got out of the shower, she took it back out again. She thought of her Mother and she thought of the way Breandan rescued her the first night he came to her apartment. She thought of the galleries and parks he'd found just for her. "Do you mean it?" she asked the letter, wishing it was a crystal ball, showing her Breandan's true heart, but that voice inside her was yelling, ' _People can write lies as easily as saying them_!'

The night was warm, but the misty rain was persistent, so Sookie was a little chilled when she walked into the pub. A quick glance showed it was going to be a busy night. It was barely seven. The music wouldn't start until nine and wouldn't really get rolling until later, but the tables were already crowded. There were two waitresses bustling back and forth and Sookie wasn't sure there was really a need for her to be there, but the bartender beckoned her over and pointed to the tables along the far wall.

It was like riding a bicycle. The minute her apron was in place, Sookie fell into the rhythm of taking orders and making small talk. Her customers were more drinkers than eaters, but she changed that, pointing out specials and highlighting items, figuring anything that boosted the bill and put some food in the patrons' stomachs had to be a good thing. One hour passed, and then another. People were lined up at the door, but no one looked anxious to leave and Sookie watched the other waitresses accept this. Apparently, it paid to get to the pub early and get your seat. As nine rolled around, the music started and soon Sookie was delivering drinks with a little extra hop in her step. It was almost impossible not to smile and sing along. The music spoke to her as it always did. She didn't feel tired and her feet didn't ache. Instead, she felt joyous and her customers seemed to feel joyous with her.

After delivering another round of drinks, Sookie leaned against the wall. "Can you take this back to Eric?" It was someone Sookie didn't recognize, but the papers she was handed looked like the kinds of receipts she was used to seeing most nights.

"Sure," she shrugged and headed toward the office. The door was closed, but that wasn't unusual. Sookie knocked once and swung the door open. Eric's back was toward her and he was leaning over. In an instant, Sookie realized he was drinking from someone. His hands were resting on someone's shoulders and his jaw was working.

"I'm sorry!" she stammered, her breath catching. The papers slipped from her hand.

"Sookie." He didn't turn toward her, but his head lifted, "Don't leave. Close the door."

"I should…" Sookie struggled to find the words. She was embarrassed and horrified, but, still, there was a certain fascination that kept her riveted in place, like the impulse that made her look when she drove past a car accident.

"Please," he said, "Please, stay," and that did it.

Sookie shut the door. Her face was burning and she stammered, "I'm sorry for barging in, Eric. I should have waited for you to say something."

Eric turned around then. Sookie could see the person standing in from of him was Moira, one of her fellow waitresses, but Moira didn't move, she just stood stock still. "You have wondered about how we feed," he said to Sookie.

"Not that much," Sookie lied.

Eric knew. He always knew. His eyes gave her that look that said, ' _Liar!_ ' as clearly as if he'd said it out loud. "Walk closer," he told her.

Sookie felt as if she was walking through mud. Her feet felt heavy, but she forced herself to move forward until she passed Eric and Moira. Moira's eyes were unfocused and dreamy. "What's wrong with her?" Sookie asked.

"She's glamoured," Eric said his eyes watchful. There was no kindness in his face, but there was no cruelty either. "She won't remember any of this."

"You don't think that's wrong?" Sookie gulped. "Feeding from her this way? She didn't agree to this, did she?"

"No," Eric replied. He lifted his finger to his fangs and pricked it. He showed Sookie the blood and then he moved his other hand, revealing the puncture wounds on the woman's neck. Sookie couldn't help it. She gasped. Eric quickly rubbed his own blood against the punctures and before Sookie's eyes, they disappeared as if they'd never been there. "Hand me the wipes," he told Sookie and pointed to the box on his desk.

Eric cleaned up Moira's neck, but mostly he watched Sookie. "I'm going to wake her up now," he told Sookie. "I'd like you to stay after she leaves," and when Sookie looked away, her breath coming a little too quickly, Eric added, "Please, Sookie!"

When Sookie nodded, Eric relaxed. "Don't startle her. If you act oddly, she will form questions and it will frighten her." He walked in front of Moira and a little to the side. He looked at the waitress and when he had her eyes, he said, "Thanks again, Moira. Don't worry about dropping those papers, Sookie will pick them up."

In an instant, Moira's eyes were clear and she looked behind her at the receipts Sookie had dropped on the floor. "Oh!" she exclaimed, "I am so sorry! I don't know what happened!"

"Again," Eric was speaking easily as if nothing extraordinary had happened, "it's no big deal. You've been working for hours. Why not take off early? With Sookie here, we can handle your tables and don't worry about the hours. I won't dock you."

"Thanks, Eric!" Moira was smiling broadly. "You really are the best!"

Eric followed Moira to the door and then he shut it behind her. He didn't look at Sookie. Instead, he stooped down and started to pick up the papers.

"Who told you to bring these to me?" Eric asked, holding the papers up so she knew what he meant.

"I didn't recognize him," Sookie tried to remember the man's face, but she found she couldn't.

"Did you notice anything different about him? You can see the Fae as they are, can't you?" and Eric watched her closely.

"You mean how they look under that thing they do?" Sookie nodded.

"What about vampires?" Eric continued to quiz her. "Can you tell us on sight?"

Sookie nodded again, "Once I know what you are, it's pretty easy for me to spot you. I saw some other folks once in Boston. They weren't like Breandan or you, but I could tell there was something different about them."

Eric nodded, "Those were probably Selkies Rogan sent to find you," and then, realizing he'd told her he had some knowledge of Boston, he waited to see if she'd catch him. She didn't disappoint him.

"How do you know that?" Sookie asked. "Is that why Breandan went to Boston? He was looking for me?"

"I don't know enough to say," Eric told her. "But I do know someone who can."

Sookie nodded and her eyes fell back on the bloody wipe in the wastebasket and the image of Eric hunching over Moira came back. Sookie did know that was how it worked, that vampires drank blood, but knowing a thing and seeing a thing were different. She looked from the towelette to Eric, trying to reconcile the man she was seeing with the monster who had wiped blood from his mouth.

Eric saw the direction of her eyes. "It's not a choice," he said softly. "It's how we survive."

"I know that," Sookie answered, but she realized she really hadn't until now. "Does it hurt?" she asked.

"Being a donor?" It was an odd choice of words, seeing as Sookie knew Moira hadn't volunteered, but somehow it did make Sookie feel a little different about it. Eric's hands stilled and he looked up at her. "It can, but not the way I do it."

"Will you show me?" Sookie wasn't sure why she asked and she could tell it wasn't at all what Eric expected. "I mean it. I'd like to know how it feels."

"No," he told her. He stood, papers in hand and walked back to the desk.

"Why?" Sookie asked. She wasn't sure why his refusal stung. She opened her mouth to tell him she was just as good as Moira when he held up his hand.

"I won't because feeding can also be an intimate act." Eric was close now. He looked down into her eyes and she saw something there that made her want to get closer. "With someone like Moira, it is simply survival but, with you, Sookie, it would be something more."

Sookie felt as if electricity was running through her. She wanted to jump on this man. For one, mad, moment, she wanted to run her hands through his hair and wrap her legs around him, and then she felt angry at herself for feeling that way. "Sure," she bit out. "I guess that's as good an excuse as any!" She walked past him, heading for the door. Eric grabbed her hand, but she pulled it away from him. "No biggie! I'm sure my tables are wondering where I am. Besides, you didn't hire me to spy on you. Again, sorry I intruded."

Sookie finished out her night. Eric didn't come back out of the office and she cashed out and grabbed her jacket. "Great night, Sookie!" the bartender called after her as she headed to the sidewalk.

Sookie waved her goodbyes and started down the sidewalk. It was late and the rain had mostly stopped, which was why she heard the footsteps behind her so clearly. Fisting her hand, she swung around only to find Eric Northman. "Were you going to hit me?" He was smiling, easy Eric again.

"What the hell, Eric!" Sookie cried. "You scared the crap out of me!"

"Come," he gestured, "I'll walk you home."

Sookie didn't reply. She just started walking. It was all so confusing and she was too tired to think it through. Eric was her employer, he told her he wanted her, and then he did things that scared her or made her question what she knew. She felt off balance with him and it made her not like him just a little bit more. The whole way home, he walked just a few steps behind her. They didn't speak. When they got to the steps of her house, she finally turned, "Thank you," she told him.

"Do you have questions about tonight?" he asked her.

"No," Sookie lied. "I'm good."

"I would like to take you to dinner," Eric said. It was so unexpected that Sookie blinked twice.

"Have me for dinner?" she asked.

Eric laughed out loud. It was a startling sound but, at the same time, wonderful. "No, no!" he chuckled. "Take you to dinner. If you could let me know the next night you're available, I'll make arrangements."

"Like a date?" Sookie was still confused.

"Like that," Eric nodded.

Sookie found that, despite the rough evening they'd had, she liked the idea of going out with Eric. She couldn't explain it. He was a bit of a scoundrel, but he made her laugh and he was straight with her, even when he thought it might upset her. "Is the night after tomorrow too soon?" she asked.

"I will check and let you know," he replied. It seemed odd, but Sookie figured Eric would need to arrange backup for the pub. "Go inside, Sookie," Eric told her. "It's late and your morning will doubtless be busy."

Still, Sookie waited. She looked up at Eric, willing him to kiss her again and as if feeling her pull, he started to lean toward her, but then he caught himself. His eyes widened, but he didn't look angry, instead he smirked, "Enough tricks!" he scolded and with a wink, he turned and walked back down the driveway. He was almost all the way to the street when he turned back. Sookie was sure he was making sure she was looking, and then he shot into the sky like a rocket. Sookie's breath came out in a rush and she said, "Wow! I've got to try that!" to no one in particular.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

The next day came with more flowers from Breandan, and then, on Thursday, the flowers were accompanied by a recording of a song. The audio file showed up on Sookie's phone. He texted that he'd written it for her and after she played it, she felt her heart melt. It was a waltz of sorts, slow and languid. She sighed and played it twice before reminding herself that flowers and songs weren't the same as talking and yet, Breandan hadn't suggested they get together.

She almost hit delete, but something held her back. Instead, she archived Breandan's message and turned her attention back to finishing her work at the B&B. She bustled through things, but was so light-hearted, Maryann questioned the reason for her good mood. "I have a date with Eric Northman!" Sookie squealed.

Maryann shook her head, "They are flocking to you like bees to honey," she laughed. "You better make sure you don't get stung! Besides, I thought you were holding out to see how things worked out with Breandan?"

"I know I should!" Sookie agreed, "But I can't help it. There's something about Eric! I should be ashamed of myself, but I'm just not!"

When the hour came, Sookie was wearing her only black dress and her best pumps. She didn't have a necklace, but Maryann loaned her a scarf and she looped it around her shoulders. Sookie stared out the window until she saw a black Mercedes pull up the drive. She was so excited she didn't wait for Eric to come up the stairs. Instead, she walked down to meet him. He was just opening the lower door and she saw he was dressed nicely, but more casually than her.

"I guess I'm over-dressed," Sookie stuttered.

"You look beautiful," Eric told her. He caught her hand to keep her from heading back up the stairs. "You are dressed perfectly. Please, we should go."

He insisted that she follow him to the car. He opened her door and waited until she snapped into her seatbelt before closing it. In no time, he was in the driver's seat and they were flying down the road in the opposite direction from town. "I've never been out this way," Sookie said, anxious to get some kind of conversation started.

"I'm not surprised," Eric told her. "But you left Rogan's territory before when you went with your friend to Carreigh."

"How did you know that?" Sookie asked.

"Pam told me," Eric replied. "and the person you're going to meet told me as well."

"What do you mean?" and Sookie felt her expectations sinking. "We're not going to dinner? I thought you said this was a date."

"It is of sorts," Eric smiled as if he was doing something wonderful. "There is someone who wishes to meet you. I am taking you to the border between Rogan's territory and his own."

"Who is it?" Sookie asked.

"Your grandfather!" Eric announced. He smiled brightly. "Your family!"

"Niall?" Sookie remembered the name from the time she'd met her cousin Claudine. "How do you know him?"

"Ireland is a small country," Eric told her, "and for the Fae, it's even smaller. We all know each other. Your Grandfather asked me to arrange this."

"Oh," Sookie said again. She was excited, even anxious to meet her Grandfather, but her disappointment that she'd misunderstood Eric's intentions were sharp. She spent the rest of the trip looking out the window and reviewing all her interactions with the vampire. He'd declared his intentions and he'd kissed her, but she'd kissed him first and with what Breandan said about the Fae and sex, that could mean just about anything. It was possible that Eric was nothing more than another opportunist, willing to take advantage of what was offered.

Sookie recalled how Eric had refused her offer to have him feed from her. He'd told her that feeding from her would be intimate and the way he'd said it made her think she meant something more to him, but it was equally possible all he wanted was exactly what he'd said, a Lover, and that possibility left her cold. For Sookie, even though she might say otherwise, the idea of love and sex were intertwined. It wasn't that she didn't like sex, she liked it a lot, but for her, it needed to be more.

Eric slowed, and then turned into a driveway. The countryside here was dark and Sookie didn't see any other house lights aside from the ones ahead. "Where are we?" she asked.

"Niall has arranged a dinner for you," Eric answered. He parked the car before turning to her. "Go ahead. He is waiting."

"You're not coming in?" It seemed the final blow.

"No," Eric cocked his head to the side. "There is nothing to worry about. Niall is anxious to meet you. He asked to have this time to be just the two of you." Eric reached into the back seat and when he turned back, he had a book. "I will wait here for when you're ready."

Sookie opened her door. Eric hadn't jumped out, nor offered her his hand. ' _Just delivering me_ ,' Sookie thought as she walked up to the front door. She pasted a smile in place and raised her hand to knock, but the door swung open.

"You're here!" Claudine greeted her. She wrapped Sookie in her arms and kissed her as she had in Carreigh, making Sookie forgot her bruised feelings in the wonderful sense of well-being she felt being in her cousin's arms.


	21. Chapter 20 - The Gentry

**Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"Claudine," Sookie greeted the tall, dark-haired woman who opened the door. "I didn't expect to see you again." It slipped out, and Sookie realized what she'd said. "I mean, so soon," she stumbled.

"I am glad your life has been well," Claudine led her by the arm into the house. "I know if things were not well, you would have called me, as family should." Claudine didn't look at her, but Sookie was sure her cousin knew Sookie had no intention of ever calling her.

"Sure," Sookie should have felt guilty, but she couldn't. Instead, her eyes were everywhere. The house looked modern on the outside, but inside it was entirely different. The walls were still whitewashed stone, but there were no lamps or fixtures. Candles blazed from every surface and there were chandeliers hanging above them, ablaze with lit tapers. It was a cheery light, but Sookie had the feeling she'd stepped out of time and into somewhere else.

"I hope your journey was easy," Claudine was saying. The house hadn't looked that big, but they seemed to be walking a long way to get where they were going.

"What is this place?" Sookie asked.

"Oh, just somewhere that's available to us," Claudine replied, her answer not really telling Sookie anything. Still, they walked on, always down, until they stepped into a hall that had a fireplace roaring in the far wall. Overhead, the ceiling appeared to be carved from rock and it stretched so high, parts of it were lost in shadow.

Sitting in the middle of the room was a dining table set that could have been found in any furniture store in America. It seemed out of place with its surroundings. Chairs were pulled around it, and a man rose from the armed chair that sat at the head of the table. He wasn't tall, like Claudine. He was just a little taller than Sookie, his pale hair tied back from his face in a neat ponytail. He was dressed in a suit and he smiled broadly as he advanced toward them. "Sookie!" he exclaimed. His arms opened and Sookie couldn't help but step into his embrace. The feeling she received from him was so bright, she sighed. It was as if sunshine and spring found her. "You truly are the very image of Adele!" The man's words were tinged in grief and any doubt Sookie had as to his identity was gone.

"You must be my Grandfather," she told him when the man loosened his grip.

"I am Niall," he confirmed and bowed his head, "Niall Brigant, King of the Southern Realms."

Curtseying was beyond her skillset, but Sookie had a strong impulse to do just that. The room, the long corridors, and the slightly glowing people standing near her all looked as if they'd stepped out of some romance novel. Instead, Sookie managed an awkward bow. "Sookie Stackhouse," she answered, "It's nice to meet you."

"Claudine told me you had wonderful manners," Niall smiled. "Are you hungry? I thought we might eat while we visit." He gestured toward the table, pulling out the chair to the left of his own. Claudine glided to the chair on the King's right. As Sookie sat, dishes appeared. The magic of the place crackled all around her, and Sookie could feel the tingle of electricity playing up and down her arms.

She couldn't help staring around the room again, taking in one feature after another, and then she realized how quiet it was. "I'm sorry," she brought her attention back to Niall, "I'm being rude. The room is very pretty."

"You are your Grandmother," he told her. "It is as if my dear Adele was returned to me."

There was something about the way he was staring at her that made Sookie a little uncomfortable. "I never met her," Sookie volunteered. "My Father told me his mother's name was Clare. She died before I was born."

Niall nodded, and then looked away. It was difficult for Sookie to look directly at him. The masque he was wearing seemed thin and the way his real face moved just beneath the glamour was making Sookie a little seasick. "I know you can see us as we are," Niall said, not looking at her. "Would it make you more comfortable if we assumed our true appearance?"

"If you wouldn't mind," Sookie nodded.

When Niall turned back to her, all disguise was abandoned. His eyes slanted toward his temples and his hair fell to either side of pointed ears. The King's fingers were more tapered, the ends almost pointed. "Perhaps, you would do us the same courtesy," Niall suggested.

Sookie make an effort, and she felt the sliding sensation that told her she'd sloughed off the covering she so effortlessly wore. Claudine drew in a breath, but Niall's smile never faltered. "Yes," he said, "I see now. It is better that I see you as you are."

After a moment, Niall gestured toward the food on the table, "Please! Join me!" and he helped himself to asparagus and passed the platter. When Sookie took some for her own plate, Niall asked, "Will you tell me about your Father?"

Sookie spent the next hour telling her Grandfather everything she remembered. She told him how her Father was kind and how devoted he was to their family. Sookie described her Father's laugh and how he would enthrall them for hours with his stories.

"You moved every few years," Niall stated when Sookie talked about how much Corbett had enjoyed attending her school events, laughing about how they changed colors with every town.

"We did," Sookie nodded. She glanced at Claudine, wondering how her Grandfather knew. "His work…" and then Sookie hesitated. Making up her mind, she looked directly at Niall, "Before my Mother died, she told me something about our needing to hide. She said that was the reason we moved so often. I asked her to explain it, but she wouldn't. Do you know anything about it?"

Sookie's tone wasn't rude, but Claudine sucked her breath through her teeth in a hiss. Sookie opened her mouth to apologize, but Niall held up his hand. "It is best not to demand answers of the Fae, Sookie, but I will overlook your rudeness. You were not raised in our ways, although you would do best to learn if you plan to remain in Ireland, which I hope you will. As for your family moving, that may have been my fault." He settled back in his chair, "When your Grandmother first left, I found ways to travel to see her. I was there when your Father was born. He was…well, he was much as you are, more Fae than human. That presented problems."

"I don't understand," Sookie interrupted.

"The Fae are jealous of their bloodlines," Claudine explained. "You see, we have lost the ability to reproduce. It only happens rarely now. We research and study, but we haven't been able to find a cure." She glanced at Niall, and Sookie saw a look pass between them. "For some among us, our ability to reproduce with other species has suggested a way to continue our race, but, for most of us, to commingle blood that way is considered blasphemy. There are even some who would hunt down and destroy any evidence that Fae blood has been mixed with other races."

"Hybrids," Sookie frowned, "Like me, or my Father. Is that what happened to my Father? Did someone kill him?" Bright tears formed in Sookie's eyes as she remembered her Father's handsome face.

"Tell me about the day your Father died," Niall asked instead, and he laid his hand on top of Sookie's. It wasn't much, the push he sent her, but it straightened Sookie's spine and overwhelmed her sorrow with that general sense of well-being.

"We were living in Pennsylvania," Sookie smiled. "There was fog that morning." Sookie's mouth opened as her memories flooded back, "There was someone in the fog." Sookie thought of that day and it played back in her mind as if she was watching it all over again. She remembered the man who transformed into the boy and she looked back at her Grandfather, "It was you!"

"I was wondering if you'd remember," Niall's smile broadened. "You shouldn't have been able to see me, but you did. I knew then that the spark, my spark, had been passed to you, but you said that was the day your Father died?"

"That night," Sookie nodded. "He left for work and he didn't return. The police said it was a failed robbery."

"He was stabbed with an iron knife," Niall said. When Sookie's eyes widened, Niall nodded. "It was how I knew he was murdered. Only a Fae would know to use iron. A human might die from any weapon, but it takes iron to ensure final death to the Fae." Niall's eyes filled with tears, "He came to me, your Father. He was confused."

"What do you mean?" Sookie asked.

"It is something that happens when Fae are killed. Our spirit stops to speak with our oldest living relative on its way to the Summerlands. For your Father, that relative was me. I barely recognized him, but he was able to tell me the manner of his death and he described the weapon, but he never saw who delivered the blow." Niall looked away, "He wasn't sure why he traveled to me, or who I was, and that pained me, but I was able to tell him his heritage and that helped him find peace. I loved your Grandmother, but your Father's suffering was her doing." The tears cleared, replaced by an expression that was stormier, "When we realized the purity of Corbett's essence, we knew that even when things calmed with my people, Adele would not be able to return with our son to Ireland. Your Father would have become a target to every Fae who hated hybrids, so your Grandmother would not risk it. She wished me away. It was a powerful wish, and I did my best to honor it. My Adele changed her name and she promised me she would raise our son to recognize when he was in danger. She wanted him to have a normal life. It never occurred to me that she would refuse to tell him what he truly was."

"It was cruel wish," Claudine said sympathetically. "As much as it was meant to protect her child, it was too much to ask of you, Grandfather, and it only served to place them in more danger." She touched Niall's arm, passing along what Sookie assumed what the Fae version of consolation.

"Thank you, Claudine," Niall smiled, and his glow did look a little brighter as he turned back to Sookie. "It was cruel, and I confess that as the years passed, I found it impossible to keep my promise. I found ways to go to that place where they lived so I could see your Father. I was careful, but perhaps not careful enough. When my Adele died…" and Sookie could see the genuine sorrow in her Grandfather's eyes, "your Father was barely out of school He had only just met your Mother, but he had the luck of our people and they thrived. I don't know how he spotted me. Perhaps he had the same sight you do. If he did see me, it would explain why he started moving you so often. Things weren't computerized then, so it was harder to locate you. Each time he moved, it took time, sometimes years, before I could find you again."

Niall looked genuinely contrite, "Perhaps I should have kept my word and forgotten him, but your Father, and then you, were all I had left of Adele."

"You're forgetting Jason," Sookie said. "My brother. He's part of my Grandmother, too!"

"Jason is not the same! Your brother is more your Mother's," Niall's tone was dismissive. "He doesn't have a hint of spark."

"He's still family," Sookie's chin came up.

"Family who abandoned you as your Father never did," Claudine said knowingly.

Sookie could see the cold look in the eyes of the Fae and it made her miss Jason, but Sookie could tell there was no love for her brother in this room, and she was sure that if she hadn't been born as she was, she never would have met her Grandfather at all.

Niall was drinking from his cup. His face was sad, but his sharp eyes kept darting in Sookie's direction. She could tell there was something about the story he was telling that wasn't quite right. Niall Brigant had accepted that being near his family would put them in danger, but he did it anyway. He could have revealed himself to his son, but he didn't. Instead, he spied on them. Sookie remembered the many times she'd see her Father's anxious face, staring into the darkness outside their windows. She thought of all the friends she'd lost and all the tears she'd shed, how all that sadness could have been caused by a misunderstanding.

But then Sookie considered what she'd just been told about her Father's death. Someone else had found them, too. When she considered Niall's motives, she couldn't fault them, not really. She knew if it was her own child, she wouldn't be able to stay away. Still, it could have been that Niall's search had alerted others, who, as Claudine said earlier, would have been motivated to kill hybrids. It was all conjecture, but of one thing Sookie was certain. Having spoken with him, having seen his grief, it wasn't Niall who had taken her Father's life.

"You don't know that spotting you was why my Daddy ran," she told Niall. "In the end, you weren't the only person following us. It could have been the killer my Daddy saw, and not you at all."

"You are very kind to offer me that consolation," Niall nodded. "I wish to return that kindness," and he leaned closer to her. "You may ask me one question and I will answer it."

Sookie glanced across the table at Claudine. Her cousin's eyes were wide open and her mouth slightly ajar, giving Sookie the impression that the offer was a pretty big thing, and so Sookie scrambled for a question that would be worthy, but in the end, all she could come up with was, "Should I trust Breandan O'Hara?"

"Not entirely," Niall answered. Sookie thought he would stop there and her heart sank, but instead he leaned toward her, and the glow of the candles reflected in his eyes. They had their own odd light, like summer sun playing through green leaves.

"You know I can't be glamoured," Sookie sighed.

"I have no intention of beguiling you," and the light dimmed, but then returned. "I will tell you the rest of the answer you meant with your question." He waited for Sookie to settle before starting. "You may know this, but Breandan Brigant is your relative, in a manner of speaking. Rogan, the King of the Northern Shores is my only brother and in the way of the Fae, we were born together, me first and he followed. Breandan is Rogan's son as Dillon is mine. Claudine," and he nodded to the woman who sat opposite Sookie, "is Dillon's child. Her brother's name is Claude and she had another sister, who died in a war long ago. I tell you this so you will know the names of your family."

"Can I ask another question?" Sookie asked. She wanted to ask about Claude, but Niall shook his head.

"No, you will wait until I have finished. If there is time, we may discuss whether you can ask another question then." Sookie's mouth thinned out and she felt her jaw moving forward, but she bit back her temper. She had a feeling if she challenged Niall, the interview would be over for all he told her he was happy to meet her, and she'd hear nothing more.

"Rogan knew of your Grandmother," Niall continued. "As we have told you, most Fae are not forgiving when it comes to mingling blood, but I could refuse Adele nothing. She wished a child, and so it became my wish as well."

"But didn't you say the Fae can't reproduce?" The words sprang from her lips, and Sookie realized she had just done what her Grandfather warned her not to; she'd asked another question. Sookie quickly shifted her gaze to Claudine, and assumed an expression that as much as said she was asking her and not Niall.

"You are clever, as the vampire says!" Niall laughed in delight. "You challenge your cousin, when the words are truly directed at me! It is a pity you are not full Fae! I will answer your question! It is true, the Fae rarely reproduce with Fae, but we can choose to reproduce with other species. It is something that, if our heart wishes it, is easily done." Sookie thought back to the night in Killary when Breandan had accused her of using witchcraft to become pregnant. The feeling between them had been intense, and Sookie thought 'desire' a thin word to describe it.

Sookie's face flushed at the memory. It was in her flustered state that she found herself asking another question, "Does it have to be something the Fae partner chooses?"

Niall leaned forward. He placed his hand over hers, and Sookie felt his interest hone in, "Yes, Grand-daughter, it is a conscious act for us, requiring both consent and desire." His eyes narrowed and his gaze became so piercing, Sookie had to look away. "But, perhaps you are asking for some reason, Granddaughter? Perhaps you have experienced this with Breandan?"

Sookie felt her cheeks flaming. She was sure her face was a hodge-podge of blotchy red patches and she was sweating. "Well, I'm not pregnant, if that's what you're asking," and Sookie pasted her best, fake smile in place.

Niall sat back anyway, his face carefully neutral again. "Should you trust Breandan?" Niall repeated her question. "I suppose the answer depends on the context of your question. Should you trust him to do as he says? Yes, the Fae can't lie. We're incapable of it, although we are masters at using words to hide our meanings. You must remember that Breandan is his Father's son. His loyalty to his family spans ages in the lives of men, but I remember how he was with his Mother. He was more joyous then and his delight in the world around him more present. Aoife was a rarity among us; a gentle, strong spirit whose mere word could calm the hottest temper." Niall glanced toward the fire, "Aoife's loss changed Rogan, or, perhaps, made Rogan more of what he has always been."

"And what is that?" Sookie asked. She realized a second after she said it she'd violated Niall's no question rule again, and she worried that if he answered this one, he'd stop telling her things, so she exclaimed, "Don't answer that! I can wait!"

"Yes," Niall nodded, "You are truly clever. Interesting, that Northman sees you so clearly. As for Breandan? I believe the Breandan we saw when his Mother lived among us still exists, waiting for someone to draw it from him. I find it curious that he has not done more to secure you. It would be an easy thing, Sookie. He could have married you in the human way. It would not have interfered with his Fae marriage and now that Mae is gone…"

"I told him I wanted to wait," Sookie reflexively gave her usual answer to the marriage question, and then what her Grandfather said started to sink in. "Wait! What? Breandan's married already?" Sookie felt as if the air had been knocked from her. "How long? He never told me that!"

"Did you ever ask him?" Claudine laughed.

Sookie was about to answer, but Niall interrupted her, "What's important is that Breandan is no longer married. Sookie, you must understand that with our need for progeny, someone like Breandan would have been joined to another Fae long ago."

Sookie was still reeling. Breandan had as much as said he wished to marry her. He'd told her he was angry that she refused him, yet he'd been married all along? And now he wasn't? Something wasn't adding up, but her head was whirling too fast for her to think clearly.

"Marriages are arranged for us," Claudine was saying. "There is care taken to assure bloodlines. Because Breandan and I came from families with a history of children, our mates were carefully chosen for us. Ours aren't love matches, Sookie. They are hopeful gestures toward our survival."

"But, as I've told you, your Breandan is no longer married, not in your human way nor in ours." Niall seemed intent on Sookie hearing that point. "He is free to make his own commitments." Sookie couldn't miss Claudine's shocked expression, but then she covered it by sitting back and fiddling with her silverware. Niall continued, "If Breandan has formed an attachment to you, Grand-daughter, and you were to agree, that development would be welcomed by your immediate family."

"But I'm not Fae!" Niall's words didn't sound right. Niall and Claudine had just confirmed what others told her, that hybrids were a problem, and Sookie had experienced firsthand how Breandan's people treated her. Their disdain was reflected regularly in their sneers and cutting remarks. "I think there's something you're not telling me, Grandfather," Sookie said.

"You should always follow your instincts," Niall replied, then added, "but you should also listen to the advice of your family."

"You've told me… Hell, everyone's told me I'm not Fae, and that means I'm not good enough for someone who is," Sookie replied, "but you're encouraging me to go back to Breandan? Why would I do that?"

"He has shown affection toward you, otherwise your time in his territory might have been less comfortable. He has not forced you in any way, although without glamour, he could. What's more, you have affection for him. You could have left his territory, but you didn't. You chose to remain close to him. I think joining your life with his would be to your advantage," Niall nodded. "Breandan has standing in this Kingdom and as your mate, he would protect you. As my Granddaughter, even as a hybrid, an alliance would be formed, linking our houses. It may be your fate to remain with him."

"I don't know," Sookie shrugged. "Even if I did want that, we were…well, things have changed. I'm not sure Breandan and I can ever go back to how we were." For some reason, Sookie thought of Eric. She thought of how excited she was when she thought this was a date and how disappointed she was when she realized she was wrong. Sookie could almost feel the vampire's lips on hers and it made her breath catch.

"Claude tells me that Breandan is sincere in his affection toward you," Niall was leaning toward her again. "He tells me Breandan misses having you in his life."

"Claude?" and Sookie found herself glancing at Claudine. She wanted to scream, ' _Why do you trust Claude_?' Eric and Pam certainly didn't, and Sookie opened her mouth to say something.

"He is my Grandson," It was as though Niall could read her mind. Sookie shut her mouth and Niall nodded before adding, "He and Breandan have been friendly for ages, but you should know my Grandson's first loyalty is to his house." For all of Niall's conviction, Sookie couldn't still the voice inside her that doubted Claude's intentions. Her instincts screamed that Claude's first loyalty was to Claude, but she looked from Niall to Claudine. They appeared so certain and so, Sookie decided maybe she should give Claude the benefit of the doubt. After all, she didn't know Claude well, only what others said of him. Sookie remembered the cruel words and sly innuendo that followed her every time she moved into a new town. She was the outsider, so it was easy to make up stories about her.

In Slievemore, it was Claude who was the outsider. These people in this room had known Breandan and Claude for longer than she could even conceive and they were telling her that both Claude and Breandan were trustworthy in their own ways. It felt wrong and it recalled someone who was always straight with her. "It's just that Eric…"

"Northman?" and Niall smiled thinly. "I'm sure you are aware of the bad blood between the vampire and Claude?" and the King waited. "Relations between our peoples are never easy, although Northman is less noisome than most vampires. I might even call him friend."

"What happened between Claude and Eric?" Sookie asked.

"I have heard two stories, but they agree in some particulars. Claude was teasing humans and Northman took offense. I heard one of the females was someone Northman claimed for his own, but that's not unusual. Vampires are possessive of their feeding stock. No one was permanently damaged. I usually find that when there are claims on both sides, the truth is found somewhere in the middle," Niall said smoothly.

"Frankly," and Niall twirled his wine glass between his fingers, watching the liquid within, "I'm surprised by the Sheriff's actions where you are concerned, although perhaps not. You are an attractive young woman and I'm sure he wishes to feed from and fuck you, as he would any human female. If his intentions toward you were sincere, as I believe you wish they were, he could have made them known when he had you all to himself in Boston. He didn't, so I can't say what motivates his actions now. Mischief, perhaps."

"What are you talking about?" Sookie felt the color drain from her face. She forced herself to sit back and took several deep breaths before asking, "When was Eric in Boston?"

"Why, Rogan sent the Viking there ahead of Breandan to watch you," Niall answered. He didn't look at Sookie. Instead, he studied his napkin as he folded it. "You may not have noticed him. I'm sure he was in some disguise or other; a bat or a dog. Those are his favorites, I believe."

"A black dog?" Sookie gulped, her throat closing.

"It would be likely," Niall nodded. "So perhaps you did notice him. He would have been larger than most, and interested in you." Sookie's eyes grew wide and she felt faint. "Ah!" the King smiled, "You do recall, but as I said. Northman made no effort to make himself known to you. It doesn't inspire much trust, does it, but, then again, the Viking has proven himself a worthy adversary over the years. I find he seldom does things without a plan."

Before Sookie could gather her thoughts, Niall abruptly stood up, "This has been a lovely evening, and I am so pleased to have finally met you, Granddaughter. I know we will see each other again, but it would be best if you didn't mention our meeting to Breandan. Rogan and I are not on the best of terms, and if he thought I was trespassing on his land without his permission, it would cause problems."

Claudine stood, too. She pulled out another card, "I am handing this to you in front of our Grandfather, Sookie. I doubt you will ever need to use it, but, in case you do; if you ever feel yourself in danger, you have only to call the number. I will come for you."

"Consider my advice, Sookie," Niall didn't move from his place in front of his chair. "Breandan is in a position to protect you. I am convinced he cares for you. You would do well to encourage any offer he extends."

Claudine walked Sookie back through the long corridors. The candlelight seemed dimmed, and Sookie felt almost as though she was swimming up from beneath deep waters, clawing her way toward a bright surface. They turned a corner and the door was before them. It opened and Sookie was surprised to see the sky beyond was still dark.

Before Sookie stepped through the doorway, Claudine touched her arm, "He means well," she told Sookie. "He would see you safe."

"But?" Sookie asked. "There's definitely a 'but' in there!" but Claudine only smiled and stepped back into the darkness of the hallway.

"Fucking Fae!" Sookie swore softly as she walked down the stairs toward Eric's waiting car. ' _Eric!_ ' and Sookie heard her Grandfather's words. _'_ _He was in Boston!_ ' She remembered Eric telling her he hadn't been in Boston, but then she remembered exactly what he'd said: 'I wish we had met in Boston in a way that allowed you to know me.'

Sookie knew the Fae couldn't lie, and her heart sank a bit as she realized that Eric was just as shifty as the rest of them!

"Was it a good meeting?" Eric had moved to her side of the car, opening her door.

"Fine!" Sookie bit out, only beginning to feel her anger. "Lots of great advice about how I should live my life. Nothing like finding out things you should have known all along from strangers. Makes you feel great about trusting the people around you!"

By the time Eric started driving, Sookie's temper was raging. "You're sure you're all right?" Eric asked again. He touched her arm and Sookie jerked it away.

"Like I said, I'm fine!" she bit out. "I just want to go home."

"You're upset." It wasn't necessary to say and they both knew it. Eric drove for a bit before saying, "I don't suppose you're interested in stopping somewhere with me on the way home."

"What? To meet more relatives, or do you have some other piece of business you owe someone where I'm concerned?" Sookie stared out her window. She realized how close to tears she was and it amplified her anger.

"Niall told you about Boston," Now Eric sounded angry, and his thinking he had a right made her own fury creep up another notch.

"Would have been nice if you'd told me first," Sookie couldn't look at him. "Guess it's good to know where I stand, though. No more illusions on my part, no Sirree! I get it!"

Eric didn't try to speak with her anymore. He drove her to her door and when he moved to get out of the car, Sookie snapped, "Don't bother!" She leaped from his car and fumbled with her key. She couldn't get into her house fast enough! She was half-way up her stairs when she heard the car engine start. ' _I was never more than a job to him_!' she told herself. She dragged her hand across her mouth, trying to wipe away the feeling of the vampire's kisses, but she knew it was too late.

xxxXXXxxx

"I am loyal to you, Grandfather," Claudine couldn't look at her King, "but why would you do this? Why send the child of this woman who meant so much to you into the arms of your enemy?"

"Where else can I send her?" Niall answered. "I can't bring her into our kingdom. The memory of our people is long, Claudine. Branna and your own sister died, fighting for the right to end my human family. You are here because your own Father refused to come. Every day that ends with no child born to our people sees our anguish grow. There are many who feel our days are meant to reach their end. They embrace our destruction and argue that it is our fate to fade from this place. They refuse to accept a future where we are saved through our joining with the humans. They say to do that is to betray our essence, to become less. That blind hatred is not something that is within my power to command."

"But Rogan?" Claudine sighed, "By pushing her to Breandan, you condemn Sookie to an uncertain life."

"Whose life is certain?" Niall asked, and then he sighed. "I have given this much thought. News of her existence is already circulating among the Fae, both Seelie and Unseelie. Rogan is not the only one who will be interested in her and each would take her for their own reasons. I had to consider who could best protect her and for now, that is Rogan."

"As Rogan's prisoner?" Claudine protested. "And what defense will she have if she wanders away from his territory? It's clear the hold Rogan has on her is tenuous. If she was truly tied to Breandan, she wouldn't have been able to come here. The borders would have held and she would have been compelled to remain within them. In her current state, she could blunder anywhere and find herself taken prisoner or killed outright."

"Which is why she should attach herself to Breandan," Niall replied. "Where you see uncertainty, Claudine, I see possibilities. Consider this! What if Breandan is truly attached to her? You feel her! There is some underlying magic that makes us wish to help her. Claude tells me Breandan complains that her tears compel him. We have both witnessed her ability to see through disguise and her true appearance is more Fae than human." Niall's lip curled up, not bothering to hide his pride, "It would seem our essence runs more purely in her."

"Perhaps we should determine the full nature of her magic, Grandfather. What if she does possess larger gifts? It could be dangerous for her if that were the case," but Niall shook his head.

"It is unlikely. I have never heard of any hybrid manifesting anything beyond the softer powers and if she did, calling them out would only increase her peril. What purpose would be served? As long as my Granddaughter is unaware, any gifts she possesses will be muted. She has already attracted enough attention. There is no need to draw a target on her." Niall shook his head, "If she is unaware, it is most likely any other powers she has will never manifest. That would be safest for her."

"But Breandan?" Claudine persisted. "Since when has he asserted himself on any point? I know Sookie told me she loves him and it is possible he will rediscover his backbone, but after all these years, I doubt it! You might also consider that Breandan is magic and uses his magic often. What's to say he won't draw her powers from her, revealing her in some way?"

"Perhaps he already has," Niall shrugged. "She is more Fae now than when I saw her as a child. Sookie is an attractive person for all she is head-strong, but she is still a hybrid. What is important is that whatever power she has to beguile has proven effective on Breandan." Niall grinned, "Claude reports that Breandan is obsessed with her. It is possible Breandan will be the one who becomes enthralled."

"I think you over-estimate her charms!" Claudine protested.

"Did you see her reaction when I told her about children?" Niall asked. "Her questions were too pointed. She experienced something. Think of it! What would Rogan do if his own son produced a hybrid?"

"Breandan wouldn't be that foolhardy!" Claudine huffed.

"As foolhardy as I was?" Niall asked. His voice was quiet, but Claudine stilled, sensing the threat beneath the words. The silence stretched before Niall released her by saying, "Don't underestimate the power of love in these things, Claudine." Niall settled back in his chair, "And if Breandan did fill her belly, that child would place Rogan in the same peril in which I find myself."

"Provided Rogan allowed that child to live," Claudine said sadly.

"Yes," Niall nodded. "If she were to become pregnant, we would have to take her. It would be difficult to explain to my people, but having a hostage to even things between our kingdoms might be explanation enough to guarantee her safety here."

"But not her happiness," Claudine observed.

"No, it would not be pleasant," Niall agreed. "Rogan would rail. He might even punish Breandan but, in the end, a child would be of their blood. I believe Breandan would feel compelled to watch over it, even as I feel compelled to watch over Sookie." Niall stood again and walked toward the fire. "So, better she remains where she it. You saw her! She is happy enough in her surroundings. Granted, Rogan's Selkies watch her, although she seems unaware. She works and she dreams. She has hope, and there is no reason to believe that her life can't be as she wishes. I will continue to pay tribute and Rogan will continue to crow, thinking he has finally bested me and my ugly duckling will remain in her nest, transforming those around her."

"What of the vampire?" Claudine asked.

"Northman?" and Niall's brows drew together. "What of him?"

"He won't be happy you revealed his role in Boston," Claudine replied. When Niall shrugged, Claudine added, "You may not have noticed, Grandfather, but he is also attached to Sookie."

"The vampire?" Niall asked again. "Why would you say that?" and then the King added, "And if he were, he would have said something!"

"Consider his actions," Claudine counselled. "He returned from Boston and opened a business in the exact town where she would be located. There were other towns where he might have made more money, but he chose Slievemore. He has befriended her, and his daughter, Pam, is with her often. She works for him, so he has an excuse to see her almost every night. He called you, telling you how she felt the need for family, and asking you for this meeting. I believe he hoped you would tell Sookie to leave Breandan. I believe he was hoping that you would open the door to him."

"Northman?" Niall asked again. "That doesn't seem in character!"

"Nonetheless," Claudine shrugged. "As you've said yourself, she has a way of attracting people to her. I believe your counsel will prove disappointing to him."

'I never considered it," Niall thought over what Claudine told him. "To take her into the Unseelie Court would mark her as forever less."

"No Fae would try to kill her," Claudine pointed out. "To do so would invite war with the Unseelie. We may squabble among ourselves, but only a fool would tempt battle between our worlds."

"But even within the Unseelie Court, she would need a protector," Niall shook his head. "a champion. If she had powers, that would be one thing, but it would be more likely she would be used as their prisoner instead, and I would simply be paying another pocket!"

"Unless Eric Northman bonded with her," Claudine said. Niall couldn't help but stare. The idea was preposterous! Eric Northman was older than almost any other of his kind and in all the ages Niall knew him, the Sheriff had never shown any interest in tying his life with another.

"I believe you are a hopeless romantic!" Niall assured his granddaughter. "Eric Northman is many things, but he is not the man you describe!"

Still, Claudine's words troubled the King, so he decided to put an end to the notion himself.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Eric's house sat on the hill overlooking Slievemore. It gave him peace of mind to be so high above things, his windows looking in all directions, and the winds of the ocean blowing past him. Tonight, though, he was feeling anything but peaceful.

When he called Niall, asking that he meet his granddaughter, it hadn't occurred to him that Niall would use the meeting to turn Sookie against him. "No good deed," Eric growled, and he cursed all Seelie and their ways. Eric's intentions had been to offer Sookie the consolation of family, but her reaction told him that, if anything, the meeting had left her feeling even more isolated. Niall had even poisoned her trust of him!

As Eric pulled up his driveway, he saw a light on in the front window. He stopped short of pulling into his garage and reached under his seat for the iron knife with its core of silver. Only Pam had the codes to the door and she wasn't expected back for another night. There had been no whisper of unrest, but violence was something that was never far from the existence of a vampire. There were periodic takeovers attempts from rival kingdoms to consider. Eric served as Sheriff to his Queen, which meant he meted out her justice. The kinds of punishments he delivered could result in vengeance and score settling. And then, there were the Seelie. Claude was back in town and Breandan wasn't exactly friendly. They might have found out about tonight from their watchers and decided to punish him for it.

No one should have known where his safe house lay, yet someone did. Then Eric considered that the light was left on. If the intentions of whoever was inside were aimed at damaging him, they wouldn't have advertised their presence. The front door was open and Eric gingerly pushed it further. "Who is here?" Eric called out.

"Come in, Northman!" a familiar voice called back.

It was Niall Brigant. The Fae King was sitting on one side of Eric's stone chessboard and he'd set the pieces for a game. The Fae King was in his natural state, the glow of his magic generating the light Eric saw from outside. Eric couldn't smell him and it was just as well.

The pure smell of Seelie magic could trigger the need to feed in vampires. Eric could resist his instincts in most cases, the King being in his house would concentrate any scent, making it almost impossible. Eric had no illusions. Attacking Niall, King of the Fae, would likely end in his final death. Still, the frustration he felt over tonight combined with Niall's surprise appearance caused Eric's fangs to drop.

"I'd kill you where you stand," Niall drawled, as if he'd read Eric's mind. "I would greatly regret it. I have enjoyed our association over these many ages. You are an interesting man, for as much as you are a vampire, and you brought me my Granddaughter!"

Niall watched Eric. The vampire didn't react as he had in past. In past, Eric would have laughed and challenged the King to a chess game during which he would move and feint with words as skillfully as he moved and feinted with his game pieces. No, this Eric watched him with cold eyes and Niall decided to test Claudine's theory. "You are upset that I told Sookie to return to Breandan," he stated. "You are also upset that I revealed your role in retrieving her from Boston."

"She is your family," Eric replied coldly. "You would leave her in harm's way. She is Rogan's prisoner. He could kill her at any time!"

"But he won't!" Niall scoffed. "My brother craves the tribute he collects from me and the humiliation he believes I'm experiencing! He thinks he holds me hostage but, in fact, it is the other way around!" Niall gestured toward the chair opposite him, but when Eric didn't move forward, he shrugged, moved a chess piece, turned the table, and began contemplating the board from this angle. "My people fought a war over Sookie's Grandmother. My own granddaughter, Claudia, lost her life, fighting to destroy my human progeny. If Sookie were to come into my kingdom, there are many who would demand her death. Surely you don't wish that for her?"

"No," Eric confirmed. "But Breandan? He shows no ability to stand up to his Father!" Eric almost added that Breandan could only belong to Claude, but he didn't. The rumor was that Niall had forgiven Claude and was unwilling to hear any word against him. Eric knew better. Eric knew that if Sookie remained in Slievemore and if Breandan were to resume a relationship with her, Claude would find a way to torture her.

"Where else would I send her?" Niall continued. "She can't go back to America! She's been seen now. There are those, Selkies, your fellow vampires, who know she exists. Rogan's people will be free to hunt her if she leaves. She wouldn't last a week! Where else could she go?" Niall looked sharply at Eric, "Your own Queen would gladly take her hostage. She's wanted tribute from me for a long time and she would be right to think that Sookie would give her leverage." Niall stared directly at Eric, "And how long before darling Sophie-Ann is unable to resist sampling? I wouldn't be able to ride to her rescue. To do so would cost me my kingdom, and Rogan might rail that she was his first, but Sookie would soon be little more than a blood slave in your Queen's Court."

"Not if I protected her," Eric walked over to the table and sat down.

"You would do that?" Niall didn't hide his surprise. "You would take her for your own?"

"She is…unique," Eric answered. He held Niall's eyes for a long moment.

"Thank you, Northman," Niall nodded. "It is good to know there are options for her." The King allowed himself to sag. "It was easier to send her back to Rogan when I saw her as she truly is. Have you seen it, her Fae state?"

Eric shook his head, "No, not yet."

"It is pronounced," Niall told him. "When she wears her human face, she is my Adele. Sending her back when she wore that face was an arrow to my heart. Still, it is her best option. I'm sure you understand."

"I hope you are right." Eric looked at the board for the first time, swiftly moving a piece.

The Fae King grinned, moving a piece from his side just as swiftly. "There is no incentive for them to harm her," he said reasonably, "and every incentive to keep her healthy and safe. And if Breandan…"

"What of Sookie?" Eric interrupted. "What of her dreams?"

"What use are dreams when you're dead?" Niall scoffed. "Besides, she is a young woman. All young women yearn for home and hearth. Breandan will give her that and she will make his dreams her own."

"I think you underestimate Sookie," Eric replied. He moved another piece, taking Niall's pawn. "She knows her own mind, and she does not seem like someone willing to compromise."

Niall's mouth pursed, "And in what way is aligning with the Seelie compromise? I claim her, but she is aware of her position. She questioned me on that very point tonight, at my own table! She is aware of her status. She won't be foolish enough to wish for more than she should have! Claude told me Breandan would offer her human marriage. It is a great concession and I am sure that now she understands it would be to her benefit."

"How can you think that Claude would allow it?" Eric didn't hide his scorn. "Claude claims Breandan for his own! He worked to destroy any happiness Breandan could find in his marriage, and he will work to destroy this as well!"

"You judge my Grandson unfairly!" Niall flared back. "Just because he toyed with your females…"

"She was dear to me," Eric snarled. "She took her own life!"

"Humans who play with the Fae do that with some regularity," Niall sniffed. "Holding this grudge for something that common is unworthy of you, Viking. We are, after all, Fae. The rules that govern us are different…"

"Cruelty is not!" and Eric held Niall's eyes. After a long moment, Eric said, "I understand you planted Desmond Cataliades to handle Sookie's wealth."

"Desmond is working for me," Niall replied carefully.

"I wish to place money in her account without her knowledge," Eric told the King. "It can be presented as an unknown bequest from her dead Mother, or her Father, if you prefer. It would allow Sookie to buy the B&B she wishes…"

"I forbid it!" Niall snapped. "She needs a reason to remain with Breandan! He must remain close to his family's holdings. If she buys her own place, it will likely be a house that is far from where she needs to be, even out of Rogan's territory! No!" and he leaned forward. "I can see that you mean well, Northman, I do, but it would only cause problems in what must be for her."

"I won't abandon her." Niall started at the words and in that moment, he knew that what Claudine said was true.

"It might be best if you made yourself more distant," Niall answered. "She is most attractive. Consider that some part of what attracts you may be nothing more than her magic."

"I will remain," Eric answered. "But I won't interfere." He looked at Niall, "I hope that you are right. I hope that Breandan will treat her well and that Claude won't interfere, but if you're wrong, Niall, I will be there." He moved a piece, placing the Fae King in checkmate. Niall's mouth opened in shock as he realized how easily the vampire had defeated him. "And when I do step forward," Eric told the Fae, "I expect you to have the dignity to respect my claim."

"It won't happen," and Niall stood to leave, "but if it does, Viking, I won't stand in your way."

Eric stood on his doorstep into the night. He watched the stars wheel overhead and considered what madness had made him pledge himself to a human, hybrid woman. "Stupid!" he scolded himself, and he walked inside and readied his home for the day.


	22. Chapter 21 - And Knowledge Comes Clear

**Chapter 21 – And Knowledge Comes Clear**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

It was aggravating, like something stuck in her tooth she just couldn't extract. Sookie was angry at Eric, but, still, she found herself watching the door of her apartment every evening, hoping he'd be the one to drop off receipts. On the nights she waitressed at Ghoul's Kiss she made a point of avoiding him but, she did it so well, her eyes seemed to follow him. ' _Just to make sure I have distance_ ,' she told herself. She was lying, which pissed her off. She knew she was making bad choices, and that pissed her off more. She knew that everyone wanted her to find a clear path to Breandan, and she wanted it too, but, it seemed, just not enough, which pissed her off most of all.

Every morning at Seacoast Shores started the same way. Sookie could have brewed coffee in her apartment, but she didn't. Instead, she shuffled down the stairs, her eyes gummy, and walked into the kitchen of the main house. She fixed the pot there with fumbling fingers and clumsy stumblings. By the time the coffee was dripping, Maryann found her way to the kitchen, and together they moved in the dance they'd perfected to ready what was needed, whipping bowls of eggs and placing loaves of brown bread in the oven.

Maryann chopped fruit and Sookie carried the yogurts and condiments into the dining room. Tables were set and flowers placed in vases, each move efficient, engineered to get them ready for the rush of guests in the quickest, most painless way. By the time the coffee had brewed, what could be done ahead of taking orders was complete, so Sookie and Maryann had a half hour to sit and chat.

During June, the talk was mostly about the new bookkeeping system Sookie set up for the B&B, but, as Maryann became more comfortable with it, the morning chat turned more personal. Maryann shared that she was seeing someone, and she was very happy with the situation. She wasn't sharing who the someone was, but Sookie knew she was female. Sookie figured if Maryann wasn't comfortable enough to say, it was best that Sookie didn't know, but she did spot Pam walking straight from dropping receipts and invoices at her apartment across the lot to knock on the back door of the main house a couple times.

"What do you think your beau will be sending you today?" Maryann asked. Of course, Sookie's beau was Breandan. They never lacked for flowers, and Sookie usually received a letter or lengthy email from him as well. Toward the afternoon, Breandan would appear, planting himself on the small patio out front to play fiddle. The guests loved it and Maryann had to add chairs. She'd even started stocking a small table just inside the door with wines and soft drinks.

It was becoming a major selling point; that Seacoast Shores offered an afternoon on the veranda overlooking the sea, sipping wine, and listening to authentic Irish music. To top it off, Breandan went out of his way to be charming. He joked and gave recommendations. He didn't hide he was the owner of the big place in town, but he talked as though Seacoast Shores was the more relaxed alternative. The online reviews reflected the B&B's added charm and, for the first time, Maryann confided to Sookie she had repeat bookings from customers, promising to return the next year as well.

Sometimes Claude came to sit in the afternoon sun, too. He was on his best behavior, not looking the least embarrassed after he told Sookie he would find a way to change her poor opinion of him. He was a wealth of knowledge about Slievemore and the surrounding countryside and he knew many of the local legends. Breandan was a talented storyteller, but Claude was in a class of his own! He could keep groups enthralled for hours and sometimes he did, making them miss dinner reservations or appointments with friends. When Sookie scolded him, he'd laugh, throwing his too handsome head back and somehow making everyone else laugh with him. They didn't see the way his eyes slanted or the cruel shape his mouth took when he thought no one was looking. Sookie could see these things but, as she got to know him better, she found she started ignoring the parts of Claude that had bothered her before. She even started to appreciate Claude's dry, sarcastic sense of humor.

Sookie had to admit it. Breandan was making a real effort. He took walks with her along the sea. He invited her to dinner, taking her to local places where the atmosphere was more charming than impressive. If only Sookie hadn't remembered how Breandan was in Boston, she would have been won over. She would have only known this Breandan and maybe she wouldn't have sensed how each move, each gesture, seemed to have the flavor of trying too hard.

July was another month of full bookings at the B&B. It hurt Sookie's heart to have to decline Amelia and Sean's wedding invitation. Sookie had promised her friends this past January that she would attend, but faced with the reality of working three jobs, the money needed for her citizenship, and the costs of airfare and lodging at Amelia's 'destination' venue, it was impossible.

On the night of the wedding, Pam brought Sookie the receipts from the pub. Instead of making small talk and then leaving for Maryann's though, Pam sat down. "You know your friends understand," she told Sookie.

"It's just it's been a long time since I've had friends longer than a year, and Amelia and I have kept in touch," Sookie replied, picking at the table runner and trying not to look too hurt. "I feel like I'm failing in the friend department. I keep thinking if I'd really tried, I could have found a way to make this work."

"Amelia and Sean have a lot more money than you," Pam pointed out reasonably. "They can afford the luxury of choices. When you live a little closer to the bone, your choices are more limited."

"I guess," Sookie shrugged. She couldn't help it. "Don't mind me," she smirked. "I'm just having a pity party. I'll get over it."

"There's nothing wrong with feeling disappointed," Pam assured her. "But maybe you could invite them here, kind of a second honeymoon. They liked Ireland. I bet they'd love to visit again, and I'm betting Maryann could find a room for them."

"They did like Ireland," Sookie looked up at Pam.

"They have plenty of money to buy plane tickets," Pam nodded.

"Breandan would probably give them a room," Sookie said hopefully, ignoring Pam's earlier suggestion. Sookie remembered the suite that couples used for honeymoons at The Grand. It probably wasn't as romantic as the one in the Bahamas, where Sean and Amelia were getting married, but it was nice.

"Sure," Pam's voice dulled out a little, "the Fae would probably love to do you a favor."

"Don't say it like that!" and Sookie rolled her eyes. "They're Breandan's friends, too!"

"And Claude's. Don't forget Claude!" Pam looked annoyed, then seemed to make a decision. "I've been trying to stay out of it. Eric has been clear that your decisions are your decisions but, I need to tell you, Sookie, I'm worried about you! You know what Breandan is and if you don't already, you should know that Claude is bad news." Sookie opened her mouth to protest, but Pam held up her hand, "I know! It's not my business, but there was a reason you decided to walk away from Breandan the first time. I think you need to ask yourself if anything has really changed." Pam rose, "I'll respect your decision either way, but I just wanted you to know how I felt about it."

Pam was turning to go when Sookie asked, "How is Eric?" She hadn't meant to ask, but then the words were out of her mouth.

Pam stopped, stared, and then allowed a slow smile to curve her lips, "Missing you," she said. "Working so hard to pretend he isn't, it's like a third person in the room." Pam looked as if she was done, but then she seemed to change her mind, "You might be a little kinder to him, and maybe to yourself."

"How?" Sookie asked.

"I'm not giving you that kind of advice!" Pam laughed. "You're a big girl! I think you can figure it out!"

Sookie blamed Pam for what happened next. She found she had all kinds of idea of how to be nicer to Eric, and most of them didn't involve clothes. "You are crazy!" she scolded herself, and pulled up her email account, composing a note to Sean and Amelia, proposing they come for a second honeymoon to Slievemore. Sookie picked up her phone and for the first time since she'd moved out, she called Breandan.

"Sookie!" he answered before the second ring ended.

"Hi," she stammered, "Look, I'm sorry to bother you…"

"You're not bothering!" he interrupted. "Not at all!"

"That's nice of you to say," and Sookie got to the point. "You probably know that Sean and Amelia got married today."

"I wondered why you didn't go," Breandan replied. "I thought she wanted you in her bridal party."

"She did," Sookie answered, "but I just didn't have the money…"

"And you wouldn't ask me." His voice was hurt and for some reason, it made Sookie's chest hurt, too. She remembered how she'd been sure, looking out the plane window, that Breandan was the man she'd be with for the rest of her life. She remembered how kind he was, and then she thought of how nice he'd been lately.

"You know how I am; I need to support myself. I have other priorities. Amelia understood," but Sookie felt guilty all over again.

"Of course, she did," Breandan assured her. "But you called me. It's the first time, don't think I didn't notice. Is there something I can do for you? A favor?"

She couldn't help it. There was something about the word choice that almost had Sookie saying ' _no, that's okay_ ,' but she stopped. Instead, she said, "I was thinking maybe Sean and Amelia would like to come back and visit. They had such a nice time here."

"A second honeymoon," Breandan said, knowing exactly what Sookie intended.

"Yes, that's it!" she agreed.

"Would you mind if I offered them a room?" Breandan seemed to be reading her mind.

"At The Grand?" Sookie finished.

"Actually," Breandan told her, "I was thinking of my other place."

Sookie had heard about the place on the other side of the bay, but she hadn't asked about it, and Breandan hadn't mentioned it before. Maryann told her it was posh, catering to the rich and famous. "Are you sure?" Sookie asked. "From what I hear, it's pretty pricey. You sure you don't want to…"

"We could offer them a week, but on one condition," Breandan told her.

" _Here it comes_ …" Sookie thought. "What would that be?" she asked out loud.

"You take one night off from all that stuff you do and come sailing with me." It was the last thing Sookie expected.

"Sailing?" She knew she sounded like she was interrogating him. "On the water?"

"I have a boat," Breandan told her. "I'm a good sailor and it's been a long time. I think you would like it, being out in the harbor. We can pack a picnic lunch."

"Alone?" Sookie asked. Somehow, she had a vision of Breandan showing up with Claude in tow.

"Just us," Breandan assured her. Although he was on the other end of the line, Sookie felt that little thrill she used to when they'd been together before. It felt…nice.

"I think I can handle that!" she sassed, and so it was agreed.

Sookie pulled up the email she'd written to Amelia and Sean and hit the send button. She sat back, thinking of her friends, and then, she thought about Breandan. He was being nice, but… "You're not Eric," Sookie said out loud.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie wore long pants and a windbreaker. "Even on the warmest of days, it's brisk on the water," Breandan warned her. Of course, she'd been the one to make their late lunch, and she'd packed it in a canvas bag. Breandan pulled up, right on time. He looked different, more carefree somehow. He wore canvas shorts. Sookie expected his legs would look pale, but, of course, they didn't. Breandan looked like Breandan, which meant every movie star she'd ever imagined. His hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail today and Sookie found herself imagining how it would feel to have that hair brushing past her cheeks.

"You're ready, then?" Breandan asked. He reached down to pick up the picnic bag with one hand, and then scooping her toward him, took a kiss. They'd kissed before on their excursions, polite kisses, but this wasn't one of those. Breandan's high spirits caught Sookie and she threw her arms around him, welcoming him back. His lips moved over hers and he pulled her to him more fully. There was no denying there was chemistry between them, and Sookie warmed a little more to the idea of reconciling. ' _Just because everyone is pushing you, doesn't mean it isn't right_ ,' Sookie thought to herself as she lowered herself to the seat in Breandan's car. ' _You didn't leave him because you were being pushed_ ,' that other voice within her warned, but Sookie shushed it. Breandan was grinning like a loon and he backed out and then gunned the engine, racing toward the harbor.

The sun was high overhead, bright when it peeked out from behind scudding clouds. There was a brisk breeze and the harbor was alive with the sounds of lines slapping against metal masts, the ringing in counterpoint to the bells clanging on buoys in the harbor. Breandan walked them down to the pier and then through the metal gate that led out to a dock. There were large sailboats moored on both sides. ' _Of course_ ,' Sookie thought, ' _Figures he'd have a big boat!_ ' but Breandan didn't stop near any of them. Instead, he stopped near a ladder. Sookie looked down to see a little, rubber boat tossing on the waves.

"We'll have to run out to it," Breandan said by way of explanation. "I'll climb down, and then I'll help you step in." The little dinghy had a small motor and as soon as Sookie was seated, Breandan untied the rope and started the engine. He turned them until they were facing into the sun and then opened the throttle. They probably weren't going that fast, but it felt wild and free as they slapped over the small waves. Sookie held the rope and found herself laughing, the boat lifting a bit as it crested each wave, Sookie lifting from her seat as well.

"There she is!" Breandan shouted and Sookie twisted around to see a sleek, wooden boat lying low in the water.

"Does she have a name?" Sookie asked.

"Seala Fein," Breandan told her. "She's the Seal's Own." They were pulling up alongside, and Breandan held onto the side to steady them so Sookie could leg over and into the cockpit. He handed her the picnic basket and then moved himself forward, tying off the dinghy to their anchor buoy. It took him no time to hoist himself up and he moved past Sookie, opening seats and pulling out sail bags.

"Seal's Own?" Sookie asked, trying to stay out of the way.

"I told you the story," Breandan grinned. "Do you remember? My ancestress who was from the sea?"

"Do you believe that?" Sookie's eyes widened.

"Can you believe you would ask?" Breandan laughed at her. "We're Fae, Sookie! We live in a world that is richer than these poor creatures around us! We see things as they are! You know of the Selkies, you've seen them," and he wrapped his arm around her and kissed her again. For the first time in a long time, Sookie felt her toes curl and her breath catch. When Breandan released her, his eyes were sharp. "Of course, I believe it," he told her. "I know that it's so, just like I know what's between us is real," and he kissed her again.

When they came apart, Sookie was panting. A part of her wanted to stay right here, exploring a different kind of geography, but instead she said, "If we keep that up, we aren't going sailing!"

"And I want to sail!" Breandan smirked. He nipped her lips quickly before pushing her down on a seat. "If you stay there, you'll be out of the way," he told her. He reached over them to unlace the covering from the metal bar that passed over the middle of the cockpit. "The boom," he explained, tossing the words over his shoulder. "Once we get underway I'll show you, but when I say, ' _Helm's A-Lee_ ,' you need to duck! If you get hit with this, you'll understand why it's called a boom!" He laughed at his own joke, loosening lines and starting to pull the sail he'd revealed halfway up the mast. He ran forward with another bag and soon a second sail was clipped in place and more lines run back toward where they were sitting. Once things were stowed, Breandan gave Sookie a quick lesson in how to winch in lines and basic sailing.

The boat didn't have a wheel, like the larger boats. Instead, it had a tiller. Breandan started a small engine and they motored away from their mooring, heading toward the mouth of the harbor and the glistening water beyond. "Once you learn a bit, we'll sail from harbor," Breandan told her. "There's nothing quite like the feel of threading toward the sea under sail. This is safer, though," and he nodded toward the engine that hummed beneath them.

Once they'd reached the water Sookie found herself scrambling a bit, but soon she had the feel of things. She had worried she might be seasick, but she didn't feel even a twinge. Instead, she felt a growing joy as they scudded across the water, the wind playing over the sails, and the telltales flying in the breeze. "It's like flying!" she exclaimed and Breandan pulled her against him so they could both stand, looking forward at the horizon that stretched before them.

Breandan's destination was a small island that sat off the coast and before Sookie knew it, they were lowering sails and motoring up to a permanent mooring set in a small cove. "No one lives here," Breandan explained. "It was too dangerous in winter. The seas can get so high, no one can reach this place." It was hard to imagine, seeing how green and peaceful it was now. There were birds flying around the rocks and the water beneath them was so clear, Sookie could see to the rocky bottom. She saw fish swim below them, and then, fast as lightning, a larger, dark shape. It made her jump back, a scream caught in her throat.

"You should see yourself!" Breandan laughed. "Surely you've seen a seal before!"

"Not this close up!" Sookie exclaimed.

"Then, it's past time!" Breandan announced. He stood up and started stripping. Sookie had seen him naked before, in fact, lots of times, but, now, outside, after all these months, she felt herself blushing. "Come on!" he urged. His face was lit up like a small child and Sookie caught his enthusiasm.

"Are we really going to swim with them?" she asked.

Breandan laughed aloud and pulling her up, started tugging at her shirt. "We didn't bring extra clothes," he explained, but his eyes were twinkling. He jumped first and Sookie followed. The water was chilly, but she became accustomed after swimming a bit. When she finally looked around for Breandan, she saw him a bit away from her and when she turned her head, it was to find a seal almost nose to nose with her.

"Cheese and rice!" Sookie exclaimed, and then she looked a little closer. This was no mere seal. This was something else. She was female, under her skin, and almost simultaneously with the moment Sookie realized this was a Selkie, the seal winked at her. When Breandan drew up beside her, he used his hand to drag his long hair back from his face, effortlessly treading water. "Are they all Fae?" she asked him.

"They prefer to be called Selkies," Breandan told her. "Technically, we are all Fae, but Selkies are different. They can live on land, but this is where they are most at home," and Breandan looked around them at the sea.

"They are so friendly," Sookie's eyes were getting rounder. There were many seal heads around them now, and real seals as well.

"You remember my story," Breandan grinned, "The one I told you about my ancestor?" When Sookie nodded, Breandan told her, "I am that one, the one from each generation who carries the memories of my ancestress." He looked at the bobbing heads with their soft, brown eyes. "They like it when I return to them and I am at home here," and with that, Breandan ducked under the water and seemed to disappear.

Sookie twisted one way, and then the other. Seals bobbed around her, watching, then disappearing under the waves only to appear again. It seemed too long for Breandan to be gone, and Sookie started to worry. She headed for the white sand beach that lay just one hundred feet from her. Seals played to either side, but Sookie never felt as if she was in danger. In fact, it felt just the opposite. She felt if she did run into danger, the seals would help her. It was odd. They couldn't communicate exactly, but Sookie was sure she could hear their words.

Something snaked out and grabbed her ankle and Sookie gave a good kick, connecting hard. "Oof!" came from behind her, and Sookie turned to see Breandan rubbing at his shoulder.

"Serves you right!" Sookie half-laughed. "You scared the pants off me!"

"I thought those pants were on the boat!" Breandan teased back and he grabbed her ankle again, this time smoothing his hand up her leg. They weren't far from the beach, and Breandan stood. The water was still deep, he was almost up to his shoulders, and he drew Sookie back toward him, pulling her against him and then pulling her hair back from her face. He didn't look in her eyes, instead he seemed to rest his eyes on other parts of her body, her shoulders, her cheek, and her arms. "You are so beautiful!" he whispered. "I have missed you," and now he did look in her eyes.

Sookie found her heart warming. Breandan had dropped his masque and stood before her, as he was. Their bodies were pressed against each other and, despite the chill, he was hardening. He had that open, happy smile Sookie remembered so well from their jaunts in Boston. He was her Breandan again, so when he dipped his head to hers, she readily returned his kiss.

"Nature really is where we're best," Sookie told him.

"You were meant to be here," he answered, and then he picked her up, bridal-style, and carried her from the water and to the beach.

The sands were warm and he followed her, covering her quickly, trading the chill of the breeze with the warmth of his body. His mouth felt hot as he sucked the salt from her breasts. Sookie moaned and it was all the invitation Breandan needed. He slipped within her, bringing her legs around him, and finding their rhythm. "Love me," he panted. "Please, Sookie! Please!"

She couldn't say anything. Sookie could see his sadness, she could feel his want. It would have been the easiest thing in the world to say, _'yes_ ,' but her practical self wouldn't let her. Instead, she focused on the growing tension within her. She thought of the eyes of the seals watching, and the way the sea breezes made her nipples so taut they ached. He found that place within her, stroking in shallow thrusts, dragging his head over it, again and again. His fingers found her clit and his mouth drew in her breast and she was flying! She chanted his name, her voice loud and sure, and as she spasmed around him, he threw his own head back, moving deep and fast, finding his own voice as he came within her.

They lay still for some time. Their skins were dry and the afternoon sun warmed them. Breandan flipped over on his back and threw his arm across his eyes. "Will you ever come back to me?" he asked.

"If this was the Breandan I saw every day?" Sookie told him, "I never would have left you."

'It's hard," Breandan nodded, "My Father…"

"Someone told me that when we met, you were already married," Sookie interrupted.

Sookie could feel, rather than see his stillness. The silence stretched between them before he said, "I'm not now."

Sookie rolled over on her side, raising her head on her elbow, "But you were when we met."

"Yes," he said, looking her straight in the eye.

"And you didn't tell me," she persisted.

"It was a marriage in name only," Breandan assured her.

"Did I meet her?" Sookie asked.

"You're so sure it's a female?" Breandan didn't sound as if he was joking.

"Yes," Sookie told him. "I was told that marriage among Fae is for children and that your marriage was arranged." 

"Someone has a good head for details," Breandan's voice became drier. He sat up, his muscles rippling, "I assume the vampire gave you all the details."

"It wasn't Eric," Sookie's lip jutted out. "Not Pam either. So? Did I meet her?"

Sookie could see his brain was racing, trying to figure out who her source was, and then he looked away. "Yes," he told her. "You did meet her."

Sookie thought about it. She could ask for the identity of this person and, in fact, she was pretty sure she knew. But then she thought of what truly knowing would gain her, and she decided it would be better to simply accept that Breandan was free. "Do the Fae divorce often?" she asked instead.

"No," Breandan told her. "We almost never do. We may not live together anymore, but unless something happens to break the agreement, we remain tied to each other."

"And is that what happened to your wife?" Sookie asked. "Something broke the agreement?"

For a brief second, Sookie wondered if that something was her and she felt a strange exultation, but it was gone in the next second when Breandan said, "In a manner of speaking. You see, she's dead."

"Oh!" and Sookie's face fell. "Oh, I'm sorry!" She was sorry. The idea that Breandan had lost yet another person in his life touched her heart, pushing away any questions about how that death might have happened. It recalled her own loss and almost without warning, tears were running down her cheeks.

Breandan gathered her to him and Sookie brushed helplessly at her cheeks, scratching her skin with sandy hands. Finally, laughing in spite of herself, she proclaimed, "I'm a mess!" She rolled to her feet and padded to the water's edge, washing away the sand so she could swipe at her face. She looked back over her shoulder. Breandan was still there, lying on the sand, propped on his elbows. "I am sorry," she told him again.

"I am, too," Breandan told her. "Our feelings for one another had long run out, but, still, she was a remarkable woman in her own way. I will miss knowing she is in this world."

Sookie sat down next to him again. She took his hand in hers. "What do you really want with me?" she asked him, determined to have the truth.

"Truly?" he whispered. He drew their interlinked hands to his lips and his eyes lingered on the place he'd kissed. "I wish we could go away together and be like this forever. I wish we could stay on this island." He looked up at her, so vulnerable, "I would marry you, Sookie, if you wished it."

"If we were like this together, every day, I'd say yes," she told him. He started to lean forward, altogether too hopeful, but she planted her hand against his chest. "But you aren't, are you? Sure, when we're alone, you are happy, but when there are other Fae around? You're ashamed to be seen with me!" When Breandan made to protest, Sookie shook her head, "Don't try to tell me I'm wrong. And then, there's the sex thing! It may not be a big deal to you, but monogamy is a big deal for me. I can't accept that the man I marry sleeps around."

"Many human men and women sleep with others after they are married!" Breandan protested.

"Not where I come from!" Sookie protested. "Not if they want to stay married!"

Breandan looked out to sea. He was silent so long that Sookie looked out as well. The seals were still there, bobbing and swimming. She didn't expect it when he said "If I promise you my fidelity, will you return to me?"

"I promised Maryann I'd stay for the season," Sookie stammered, playing for time. She bit her lip, thinking of the way they'd been together these past few months. It was easy, sitting here in the sun with this Breandan to forget those moments she'd felt uneasy. She could overlook the times his stories had seemed too contrived and his compliments too easy. "But I will agree to return when the season is finished," Sookie found herself saying.

"Will you pledge yourself to me, now?" Breandan asked.

"What are you asking?" Sookie thought she knew, but she wanted to be sure.

"You will agree to remain with me. I will marry you according to your customs. You will be mine," Breandan clarified.

There were a hundred reasons Sookie should have said ' _no_ ,' but she looked in his brown eyes, his seal eyes, and she found herself saying, "Yes," instead.

The sail back to the harbor seemed to go faster than the way out. Breandan was in high spirits, laughing and promising they would return to Killary. "We don't have to live at The Grand all year," he told her. "Just for the season. Once the tourists leave, we can return to our cottage. We were happy there!"

Sookie found when Breandan looked at her, she felt happy, too. It was what her Mother had wished for her and what she, herself, had dreamed about, coming here. Her Grandfather seemed to think it was a good idea, too, but, then, Breandan would look away, checking their course, or scanning the horizon, and Sookie would feel a small, coldness steal into her heart. ' _You're being silly!_ ' she chided herself, and to make the feeling go away she made herself busy, quizzing Breandan about the parts of the boat and how to navigate.

Breandan was feeling so confident of Sookie's new-found skills, he took them into the harbor under full sail, complimenting her when she doused the jib at his command. The little boat drifted up to its mooring, and Breandan snagged it the first time around. It was hard not to catch his happiness and Sookie laughed with him, wrapping her arms around him as he kissed her.

When they climbed up the ladder onto the dock, they found Claude waiting for them. His face was smiling, but his eyes were not. "I didn't know you were going sailing," he said to Breandan.

Sookie felt it, the slight pulling away from her. Breandan shifted, his fingers that had held hers so tightly, going slack. "It was a beautiful day," he said companionably. "I wanted to share it with my…" and he hesitated.

Sookie felt her heart drop. Claude was watching her with ill-disguised anger, but then, Breandan's hand tightened. He pulled Sookie against him, "And I have good news," he said, his voice more confident. "Sookie has agreed to join with me. She will return to me at the end of the season."

Claude didn't look at all pleased, but he said, "You're right. That is good news." He glanced at Sookie, and his face settled into something more carefully pleasant, "Congratulations! I know this is what you hoped for!" Claude's lip curled as he added, "I'm sure Northman will be thrilled to hear about this latest development!"

It was exactly the right thing to say. It made Sookie's moment of pleasure in Breandan's declaration turn to ash. She thought of Eric and she imagined how his blue eyes would narrow, not quite hiding his disappointment in her. ' _Maybe it's that you're disappointed in yourself!_ ' she thought. She realized it was quiet. Breandan and Claude were both staring at her, and she knew she was expected to say something. She pasted her best smile in place, looped her arm around Breandan, and smiled up at him, "He won't be half as thrilled as I am!" she declared.

She had managed to hit the right note and Breandan's worry cleared, the happy-go-lucky man who took her to the island back again. "I should take you home," he told her. "I will bring you dinner and we can talk," and he pulled her against him so he could kiss her once more.

They left Claude at the pier, walking hand in hand to Breandan's car. He was laughing and she laughed with him. When he dropped her at her door, he promised to return with food in two hours. "I'll be waiting," she promised.

She ran upstairs, and the thrill she felt lasted almost all the way through her shower. As she reached for the conditioner, she asked no one in particular, "What have you done?"

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"What are you talking about?" Claude was in a cold fury. "Of course, I'm pleased you convinced her to marry you! That was the plan all along, my plan if you remember! Now you're telling me to leave?"

"I promised her my fidelity," Breandan said evenly. He was sitting in the armchair in his apartment. Claude was pacing. They had been openly cohabiting for weeks, and Breandan remembered he'd need to ask housekeeping to be especially thorough in cleaning things. He didn't want Sookie to find any vestiges left.

"Since when did you become a human?" Claude sneered. "I can't believe this! Where are your balls?" Claude dropped to his knees, caressing Breandan through his pants, "You know she can't do for you as I do! You know you will be missing me! Don't you remember how pale it was to be with Mae…"

"Don't you say her name!" Breandan growled. "There are times I blame you for what happened!"

"I had nothing to do with her death!" Claude protested.

"Not that," Breandan replied. "How she stopped trying with me!"

"She couldn't give you what you needed," Claude said reasonably. "Even sharing her wasn't enough! You needed me," and Claude ghosted his mouth over Breandan's zipper, "As I need you!"

"I promised!" and Breandan stood up and walked away, the hard line pressing against his pants betraying him.

"The hybrid is not entirely unattractive," Claude shrugged, rising gracefully to his feet. "You're persuasive. If she agrees, then it isn't breaking your promise."

"Sookie would never agree," Breandan told his cousin. "I can't glamour her." Breandan found himself looking at the small necklace she'd left behind. It was hanging over a small statue on the bookcase. "In truth, I don't think I wish to share her."

"This isn't right!" Claude hissed. "You will make yourself a laughingstock! And what do you think Rogan will say? You need to keep me around, if only to keep him from finding out. You know what happened to Niall! If you give her power over you, you will never inherit the kingdom! You'll be lucky if Rogan doesn't banish you and lift all protection. How long do you think you'd last if that happened? Or her?"

"She makes me happy," Breandan told his cousin.

"Then you are a fool!" Claude snapped. He grabbed his coat and left. He knew Preston had overheard them arguing. It was in the too-pleased simper the Assistant Manager gave as Claude stormed across the lobby.

' _If she is this kind of threat_ ,' Claude thought, ' _there's only one thing to do! It would be better if Sookie Stackhouse was a sad memory!_ " Claude knew he couldn't do the deed himself. He would need a plan, one that didn't lead back to him. To make the hybrid fall would enrage both his father and Rogan. Breandan, on the other hand, would be sad, and Claude knew from experience that Breandan nursed his hurt feelings best in Claude's bed.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"I'm happy for you," Pam told Sookie. "It's just…" and she drew an unnecessary breath, "Are you sure?"

"Mostly," Sookie admitted, and then, when Pam started to talk, she added, "You should know, from the time I was little, my Mom used to say I was the thinking-est girl she'd ever met. She'd tell me that I could think the sun from the sky." Sookie laughed a little, thinking of the way her Mom meant it as a scolding. "But she was right. I can keep turning this over and over, but if I don't jump in and give it a try, I'll never know!" Pam wasn't looking convinced, so Sookie said, "I know! Doesn't sound like any big declaration, but maybe that's who I am! Maybe I'm not a big love kind of girl. Maybe I'm a girl who finds good enough and lets it grow."

Sookie stared out into the night. Breandan was due any moment. "He's different when we're alone," Sookie told her friend. "I can see the man he can be and I know he likes himself that way, too. Maybe, if we're really together, married, he will be that man all the time."

"I think the notion of a man truly changing for a woman is a fairytale," Pam told her. "All I can say is I'm glad you have another couple months to test your theory."

There was a quick knock from below and the sound of steps on the stairs. Pam rose to leave, "Are you going to keep waitressing?" she asked.

"Sure," Sookie shrugged. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because if you're going to live with Breandan, you won't be buying that B&B," Pam replied. It was the first time Sookie had put that together and she felt as if the walls of her little apartment closed in, just a bit.

"I'll still work," Sookie answered. Breandan opened the door, a brown bag in his hand. Sookie was pretty sure it was fish and chips from the place in town she liked.

"Breandan," Pam bowed her head. "I hear congratulations are in order. I wish you the best."

"I am a happy man," he said civilly, but after the vampire had shut the door, he turned to Sookie. "I don't want you consorting with them anymore!"

"Pam and Eric?" Sookie exclaimed and her temper caught her. "Now, you look here, Breandan O'Hara, or should I call you Breandan Brigant?" Breandan wasn't backing down, but he didn't look quite as confident. "If this is going to work between us, we're a partnership, and partners don't dictate what the other one does! I have commitments which include bookkeeping and waitressing, and I'm going to keep those commitments! When the end of the season comes, we'll figure things out, but if you want to stay on my good side, then you'll take that army sergeant tone out of your voice!"

Sookie knew her jaw was jutting forward and her hands were on her hips. Breandan stared at her for a long moment, and then he laughed. It was so joyous that Sookie's face broke in a smile. He caught her up in his arms, saying fondly, "You fight for what you believe, my Sookie. I only hope that when the day comes, you fight for me as hard as you fight for yourself!"

Breandan reached in his pocket and then took her hand. When she took her hand back, she was wearing a diamond ring. The stone didn't look large, but it caught every bit of light and the band was encrusted with small diamonds. "It is like the stars in the sky," Breandan told her. "It reminds me of you, both beautiful," and he grabbed her to him, "and oh, so hard!"

Breandan stayed that night, keeping Sookie from sleep. When morning came, it was doubly hard to rise from her bed. She looked at his clean profile, outlined in the early morning light. ' _I will be yours_ ,' she thought, but she wondered why the thought of it didn't fill her chest the way she anticipated.


	23. Chapter 22 - The First Step

**Chapter 22 – The First Step**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Two days had passed since Breandan gave her the ring. Maryann told her at least twice a day how happy she was for her friend. Pam wished her well. "Like I said before," the vampire told Sookie, "I'm behind you, whatever your decision. You've committed yourself to Breandan? Then, I'm happy for you!"

Sookie didn't believe it and when Pam showed up the second night in a row to drop off receipts, Sookie was pretty sure Eric wasn't all that happy for her, either. Pam didn't have to drop the receipts since it was Sookie's night to waitress, but it had become a tradition. Eric usually showed up to give her a ride into town, and then, when the pub closed, he drove her home again. Tonight, it was Pam sitting in the driveway. "Eric too busy?" Sookie asked.

"Something like that," Pam shrugged, then "Come on! Jump in!"

It was August, so the temperatures were the warmest they would be all year, but the rains were starting. From now through January, the number of rainy days would increase, and truly sunny days would start to become few and far between. Although there were still plenty of hikers, the pub was just a little less crowded than it had been a month ago. Sookie walked behind the bar and picked up her apron. She nodded to Mick, the lead bartender. He was a vampire, but it was just him. The other bartenders who rotated in and out were all humans from Slievemore.

"Looking good!" Mick called, and held up his hand to signify he'd seen her ring.

Sookie found herself blushing, "Thanks," she told him. "It's still pretty new." She couldn't help it. She looked around.

"He's in the office," Mick winked.

"I wasn't looking for Eric," Sookie lied.

"Didn't think you were," Mick laughed, "but he's in the back all the same!"

Sookie scowled, but she knew Mick didn't take it seriously. It was only a few steps down the hall and the door was slightly ajar, so Sookie knocked and went in. "Eric?"

He was seated in back of his desk. He looked up and smiled the same way he smiled at the rest of his employees. He didn't say anything. He leaned back, apparently happy to allow the silence to stretch between them. "I guess you heard," Sookie said, not sure how else to start.

"That you are wearing Brigant's token?" and Eric gestured toward the ring.

"Yup," Sookie nodded, "Then you did hear!"

"We're Fae," Eric smirked. "We gossip. In the old days, it took a day or two for news to travel. Now, with cell phones, we hear all the news in real time. Half the Fae are appalled he is stooping to give you any kind of status, and the other half are betting his Father is paying him extra to tie you here."

"That's a pretty nasty thing to say!" Sookie frowned. She'd meant to check in with Eric and somehow make this all okay, but now she felt stupid. "I was worried when I didn't see you tonight, but I can see that you are exercising your asshole muscles! I'll come back later!"

She was turning to go when Eric started laughing. "Do you mean that literally or figuratively?" he asked.

"I mean that you are being a total…" Sookie started, but Eric interrupted her.

"It could mean my attitude," he quipped, and then he stood and walked around the desk. Looking rather flirty, he turned around and leaned over, and then, he deliberately flexed his rather impressive ass. "Or," he smirked at her, "It could mean your obsession over my glutes."

"I'm not obsessed!" Sookie exclaimed. "You're delusional!" but she couldn't help it. Her eyes were fastened on his flexing posterior, and she blushed furiously, knowing Eric had her dead to rights.

"Well, okay, then!" Sookie waved her hand, "Have your little fun. I've got work to do!"

"You call this little?" Eric smirked some more. He was flexing first one cheek, and then the other, which was kind of impressive.

"You know what I mean!" and Sookie dragged her eyes away, but as she was reaching for the door, it swung open and two vampires stepped in. Sookie jumped back, and Eric was turned around, sitting on the edge of his desk so quickly, Sookie didn't even see him do it.

"Greetings, Sheriff!" the lead vampire bowed from his waist. His eyes shifted to the side, and Sookie felt caught by them.

Eric was looking from one vampire to the other. "Gregor," he tilted his head. "It's been many years. What brought you to Ireland?"

"I'm sure you recall Kurt," Gregor said instead of answering Eric's question. He jerked his chin toward the tall, big-shouldered hulk standing behind him.

"Kurt and I have met," Eric acknowledged. There was something in the way Eric said it that gave Sookie the impression the meeting hadn't been cordial, and then, "I'm surprised to see you out of prison so soon," which confirmed Sookie's bad impression.

Suddenly feeling like a stranger in a strange land, Sookie headed toward the door, "I'll get back to work!" she smiled brightly. "Would you like me to have Pam come back?"

The one named Kurt took a step to the right, placing himself right in Sookie's path. "You stay." It didn't sound like an order, exactly, but Sookie stopped just the same.

Eric pushed up from the desk, his arms falling to his side, and Sookie could feel the tension level spike. She glanced at Gregor and saw the blade in his hand, "Knife!" she yelled and dove for him, grabbing his arm.

Things seemed to move very fast, and then, suddenly, everything started moving very slowly. Sookie was looking up, the florescent lights overhead going in and out of focus. There was a pressure in her side and she was fumbling to press her hand against it, but she was having trouble making that happen. Her knees were turning to jelly. She saw Pam cut Kurt's head right off with a sword. There were sounds, but they kind of came in and out, and Sookie thought, ' _I'm in shock_ ,' as her head fell forward. Eric was in front of her and his mouth was bloody. "You never tasted me," Sookie said, but she wasn't sure if she said the words out loud, or just thought them.

It was odd. Every once in a while, Sookie had a glimpse of ceiling tiles. Each time her eyes opened, they were different, and she seemed to be flying. "Sookie!" It was Eric. He was shaking her. It was harder now to open her eyes. "Sookie!" and there was something pressing against her mouth. "Drink!" he was yelling at her.

It was in her mouth, cold and thick, and she wanted to spit it out, but then she tasted it, and it tasted wonderful. "Good!" he was telling her. The pressure on her mouth disappeared, and then it was back. "Drink!" he was ordering her again. It wasn't so hard this time.

She was laying down. Her arms felt heavy and she couldn't feel her legs at all. She jerked upward. There was the sound of ripping, and then Eric's head started down toward her lady parts. "Better not!" Sookie whispered. "I promised." There was a place on her side that was hurting, but when Eric leaned over it, it hurt a lot more. It felt as if he'd sunk his teeth into her, and Sookie couldn't help the scream that ripped from her throat.

Pam was there. She took Sookie's hand and leaned over, stroking Sookie's forehead, "It will just be a minute," she said, "and then you'll feel a lot better." She looked away, toward where Eric had headed, and said, "Did you get it all?"

"She'll have a scar," Eric replied, "but the iron is gone."

"Who did they come for?" Pam asked.

"I will find out," Eric replied, and then his face was back. He smiled that beautiful smile of his. "Sookie? Can you speak? Do you feel better?"

"Weak," Sookie whispered. "I hurt!"

"I know, Älskare, but soon, it will be better." He pulled back her eyelids and checked her pulse. "Sookie?" He pulled her back from her drifting. "Sookie? I'm going to give you some more of my blood. You lost quite a bit."

"You've given her plenty!" Pam scolded.

Eric shushed her, "She can't return home like this and if it becomes known that she was damaged here, it could make problems with Rogan!"

"What about you?" Pam asked. "You could end up…"

"I know how much I've given her!" Eric snarled. He lifted Sookie into his lap, holding her against his chest as though she were a child. "We aren't close to bonding. I could feel it if we were." There was a crunching noise and Eric's bloody wrist was in front of her. "Drink, Älskare. Drink until there is no more."

Holding his eyes, Sookie used her tongue and lips to suck the blood. She could feel it, almost a living thing, flowing through her. She felt her toes tingle and her hair lifting. After a little bit, there was no more blood. Sookie could focus now, and she found herself looking at Eric's wrist. It was as though he'd never been injured. She let her head drop back so she could ask, "What does Älskare mean?"

"Did I call you that?" Eric's eyebrows drew together, and Sookie realized again how clear and deep his eyes were. Eric paused a moment before saying, "Trouble! It means trouble, which you are!"

"What happened?" Sookie asked. She struggled a little, but Eric held her until she stopped.

"Rest, now. Regain your strength," he soothed her. "Give the blood enough time to do its job. Soon, you'll be good as new." He glanced over to where Pam was standing. "Make the call. Alert Sophie-Ann to what happened. She'll find out if these two were here on official business or if they were free-lancing." He smiled at Sookie who was starting to shiver a little. "And find Sookie a new shirt. She can't go home in her underwear."

"Oh," Pam snarked, "I don't know! She looks pretty cute that way!"

Pam left and it felt too wonderful to simply close her eyes and enjoy being held in Eric's arms. He gathered her to him and when she sighed, he started to hum a tune she didn't recognize. "If you make me any more comfortable, I'll be falling asleep," she told him.

She figured she must have fallen asleep, then, because when she woke up again, she was in her own bed. She felt warm and realized she was under blankets and spooned into a very large person. Startled, she tried to turn over, but the arms around her pulled her closer, "You're safe," Eric's voice said from behind her. "I have you."

"You're in my bed!" Sookie stated.

"I told you I'd get here one day," Eric chuckled, and then he released her. Sookie started to roll, but her side twinged, causing her to gasp. "You'll probably be sore for a day or two," and Eric sat up and against her headboard. He had taken his shirt off, but he was still wearing his pants. When Sookie make an 'eep' noise, he said, "Disappointed? I know you've been looking forward to seeing my ass, but since you did throw yourself on a knife tonight, I'll drop my pants if you ask nicely."

"Screw you!" Sookie scowled, and Eric threw his head back and laughed. When she winced again, though, he stopped and helped her sit up. He drew her against him, and although she wasn't sure this was a good idea, she felt too weak, and Eric felt too good to overthink it much.

Once she was settled, Eric said, "I must leave soon. The sun will be up in a few hours, and I need to return to my house. There's some things you should know about what happened tonight."

"Like I got stabbed?" Sookie asked.

"Yes, you were stabbed," Eric grinned, then more seriously, "And the knife was iron with a core of silver. It could have been meant for me, but it could also have been meant for you." He pulled her head back so he could look into her eyes, "Did you know you react to iron?"

"I know there's some metals that give me a rash," Sookie shrugged.

"This one was burning your flesh," Eric told her. "When you take a shower in the morning, you'll find a new scar. I had to remove the infected flesh. It left a hole. It's healed now, but the scar will remain."

"That sucks!" Sookie sighed. "Is it really big?"

"You're vain!" Eric teased her. "I tell you how close you came to death, and all you care about is how marred your body has become?"

"That's me!" Sookie sassed, "My body and I can be as vain as I like!"

"There's other things I can think of doing with it," Eric told her, but he didn't follow up his remark. Instead, he looked away. "There's more. I gave you my blood tonight, a great deal."

"Uh…" Sookie processed what he was telling her. She remembered things in a kind of murky way. "I guess," she said out loud, and then, "I have to tell you, I'm surprised how calm I am about all of this. I'm sitting in bed with you and by the way, you shouldn't be here! You're telling me I almost died, and that now I look like some escaped victim of a serial killer, but I'm just not that worked up about it!"

"That may be me," Eric said.

"What are you talking about?" Sookie asked. "You know you can't glamour me!"

"This is different," Eric seemed to be serious. "You are feeling me. With the amount of blood I gave you, and the blood I drank from you when I healed your wound, we have formed a tie."

"A what?!" Sookie exclaimed.

"It's temporary," Eric assured her.

"A tie? What the hell is that?" Sookie wanted to be worked up, but somehow, the more she tried, the harder it was. It was as if a soft blanket kept getting thrown over her emotions, leaving her punching at thin air.

"You feel it?" Eric asked. "I am sending you calm. I can feel your emotions too, your… drama," and he smirked. "This is what a tie does. It allows the other person to feel the emotions of their… well, the other person in the tie. I can send you emotions to help you, and you can do the same for me. It's not telepathy, but…"

"How long will this last?" Sookie interrupted.

"A few weeks? A month?" Eric shrugged. "It isn't an exact science."

"But it will go away?" Sookie asked.

"Yes," Eric assured her. "It will fade."

"That's good," Sookie nodded. She couldn't help it. She found herself exploring her emotions, figuring out which aligned with how she was feeling and which were not quite her. "Do vampires do this often? Make ties?" she asked.

"No," Eric shook his head. "Usually, a vampire takes blood from a person as a way of keeping track of them, or influencing their emotions, but it's rarely mutual." He half-smiled, "But you are, as always, the exception to every rule."

Sookie squinted, "You know that you glow?" she asked.

"Because of the amount of blood I gave you, you can see our magic more clearly," Eric nodded. "There's something else you should know. My blood gives you a distinct scent. It's how vampires mark their blood partners, or their mates. Other vampires will clearly smell me in you. It signals to them that I will defend you."

Sookie was feeling better, so she started to sit up. Her head was still whoozy, but she slid from Eric's lap and slowly stood, holding onto the bed and then the wall to make sure she wouldn't fall. "And what about you?" she asked as she navigated toward the bathroom. "You smell now, too?"

"Yes," he told her. "Breandan, in fact, most Fae, will also smell that we have exchanged. He is not likely to be pleased about it."

"Well, I'd think he'd be less pleased if I was dead, don't you?" Sookie asked. She'd reached the bathroom door and said, "Hold that thought!" as she closed the door behind her. When she emerged, Eric was standing near her door, his shirt back in place.

"I will call Breandan on my way home," Eric told her. "I will explain what happened. That way when he smells me, he won't…" 

"I can handle my own fiancé!" Sookie snapped, "Thank you very much!"

"Sookie!" Eric scolded, "You don't know enough about our world. Breandan would be within his rights to demand retribution."

"For saving my life?" Sookie shook her head. "I get that you are all old as dirt, but these are modern times. I'm not anyone's little woman! I have a brain and I can take care of myself! If the man I'm going to marry won't stop to listen to me, then it just goes to prove that I picked the wrong man!"

"As you say, then," and Eric smiled all too widely.

"You'll see!" Sookie promised, but, as usual, Eric was right.

xxxXXXxxx

"You say you never saw these vampires?" Breandan's voice was tight and he was standing just a little too close. Sookie noticed he hadn't touched her from the moment he walked in her apartment.

He'd shown up with his fiddle and Claude, all ease and laughter, visiting with the guests on the patio. It was a rare, sunny day and everyone was happy, but when Sookie walked out the door, Breandan stopped. He stood up. He wasn't laughing, in fact, his face was stormy.

"You exchanged with Northman?" It was Claude who asked it, and he sounded appalled.

"Where is he?" Breandan hissed.

"Exactly where he belongs!" Sookie felt her temper rising. "I think you'd both better come with me so we can discuss this in private!"

"You have violated your pledge!" Claude exclaimed. He laid his hand on Breandan's shoulder as if comforting his friend, but Sookie was sure she saw more triumph than sympathy on Claude's face.

"I did no such thing!" Sookie protested. "I, for one, am going to my apartment where I will be perfectly happy to talk this out in private. If you two want to continue making a show of yourselves, you know the way back to town!" and Sookie spun on her heel and walked up the drive and then up the stairs that led to her apartment.

It was Claude who was up the stairs first. Breandan was looking a little less sure, but Claude immediately went on the attack. "What kind of woman are you? Do you have any idea what Breandan has sacrificed to stand by you? Every day he faces the ridicule of our kind! Once his Father understands, he will brand his own son a fool! And how do you reward my cousin's strength of character? You give yourself to a vampire! An Unseelie!"

"Why are you even here?" Sookie demanded. Her chin jutted forward and she went almost chest to chest with him. "This is private business between Breandan and me! You need to turn around and take your skinny ass right back down those stairs!"

"At least I have a skinny ass," Claude snarled, "Not some bubble butt like…" 

"Enough!" Breandan finally spoke up. "Claude," and he laid his hand on Claude's shoulder, "Sookie is right. This is between us. I thank you, Cousin, for taking my part, but now, you must leave."

Claude laid his hand over Breandan's. It was an intimate gesture, and it gave Sookie an uncomfortable moment. She had been sure when she met him that Claude and Breandan had been lovers and now, she was getting that feeling again. "Is she really worth it!? Claude's voice was sad. "She will destroy you, Cousin! You will fall so far, you will never be able to regain your place!"

"Sookie is important," Breandan replied. He was looking at the floor, and Sookie thought that he wasn't meaning that she was important to him, exactly, and it twisted at her heart.

Claude made another token argument, reminding Breandan again of Sookie's failings, before the door finally shut behind him. Sookie felt drained, but she remained standing, waiting for Breandan to finally look at her. It took a while. "What happened?" he asked.

When she'd finished the story and showed Breandan her scar, still stark surrounded by angry, red flesh, he sighed. She kept hoping he'd open his arms to her, but he didn't. Instead, he sat on one of her kitchen chairs. "You shouldn't have taken his blood," he told her. He wasn't looking at her again.

"What? You'd rather I died?" Sookie huffed. She could feel her tears threatening, but she bit down on her lip hard. "Is that really what's most important to you right now? How things look?"

"There's more to it than that," Breandan was speaking to the table. "He is in you, now. You can feel him. He can feel you."

"What are you going on about?" and one, runaway tear fell down her cheek. "He saved my life. Yes, there is some weird side effect, but he told me it's temporary. He explained it to me and he apologized. He even offered to explain what happened to you, but I told him that we'd be fine. Guess that's another time Eric Northman was right! Fine thing when you find out a vampire knows more about your fiancé than you do!"

"I told you I didn't want you consorting with them anymore," Breandan reminded her. "If you'd done as I said, you wouldn't have been injured."

Sookie opened her mouth and then shut it again. He had a point, but Sookie was certain it wasn't a good one. "You might as well say 'stop walking down the sidewalk,'" she replied. "Eric said they could have been after me. He said since the knife was iron as well as silver, there was no guarantee that he was their target."

That brought Breandan's head up. "Tell me again what happened," he asked, and Sookie sat down and did, recounting the words and movements as close as she could remember. When she finished, Breandan stood up and walked to her. He pulled her up, sat in her chair, and drew her into his lap. "I am going to double the guard on you," he told her.

"What? What guard?" Sookie tried to get away, but Breandan's arm tightened.

"I am happy to hear you haven't noticed," he told her, "but since you moved out here, there have been watchers, Selkies. They stay near the sea, but they make sure no one disturbs you out here. I will have to ask that they follow you at other times, too."

"What? Why would you do that?" Sookie protested.

"You have just told me that you could be in danger," Breandan loosed his grip on one arm so he could stroke her. "You are precious to me."

"So precious it took all this time to get you to believe me?" Sookie snapped. "So precious that you let your Cousin say shit about me, and you didn't defend me once?"

Breandan actually did look embarrassed, "You are right…"

And then Sookie leaned forward, "And if you didn't know I was in danger until today, why were your Selkies here? Protecting me? Spying is more like it! You really are a piece of work!" Sookie struggled out of his lap and started tugging at the ring on her finger.

"It was my Father!" Breandan stammered, standing up. "He…"

"Is this how it is, then?" Sookie hissed. "Whose man are you, Breandan? Your Father's or mine?"

Breandan didn't bother to hide his misery, "He is my King," he told her, "and you are…" and he laid his hand over hers to stop her from removing his token. "You are the woman I love."

It was the first time he'd said it so she'd heard, and Sookie's mouth fell open. She hadn't realized how sweet it would sound. She smiled, and she stepped forward when Breandan drew her to him. "I love you," he murmured in her ear and if his voice was sad, Sookie didn't notice.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Is it ever sunny here?" Amelia asked. It was already September by the time the newly-married Callahans arrived. Amelia, Sean, and Sookie were all together in Breandan's car, driving slowly along the seacoast, trying to see the islands through the mist and fog.

"Well, according to Google, you only pick the rainiest months of the year to visit," Sookie laughed. "Your timing stinks!"

"Any time I get to see you is the right time!" Amelia laughed. She laughed a great deal, her happiness with Sean apparent. It was subtle, but Sookie couldn't miss the change in her friends. Amelia already had that faint sheen of country club wife. She wasn't working at Pat's Diner anymore. She'd graduated from college with good grades, but had no plans to go on for her Master's. Instead, she was looking for a job 'doing good.' While her friend was vague, Sookie figured out that meant working in the office of a Soup Kitchen or doing part-time work for a social services organization, in short, a job that was more about photo opportunities than mixing with the people the organization served.

Sean had changed, too. His hair was cut differently and he held himself more upright. His easy smile had been more of an amused grin the first few days here, but nights playing music at Ghoul's Kiss, drinking, and dancing had found his pre-wedding self again.

One thing that hadn't changed was Amelia's hatred for Claude. If anything, it was more pronounced. Amelia couldn't explain it, but Sookie didn't mind. She felt the same way about Claude, and she was happy to let Amelia tell Breandan how little she wanted to see him.

Nights they all spent together. True to his word, Breandan arranged suites for all of them in his beautiful hotel across the bay.

With the change in season, Sookie's hours at Seacoast Shores were scaled back. She was able to take time off from Ghoul's as well. There just weren't that many tourists coming through. Her evenings were freed up and she was only working two mornings a week. While she mourned her reduced cash flow, it did leave her with plenty of free time to spend with her friends and even allowed her to stay overnight at Castle Linford.

Sookie had been told the hotel had been converted over from the original English Lord's castle, but she still wasn't prepared for the luxury. The ceilings vaulted to carved, gilded wood works of art. Oil paintings and tapestries hung on paneled walls. Windows were thermal and triple-paned, but still fit the original openings. Those windows that were original were encased in glass, almost as though the leaded glass was a work of art in and of itself.

Every turn seemed to reveal a new treasure or delight, and Sookie found it took her three times as long to get anywhere, her eyes were so busy! "I had no idea!" Sookie whispered to Breandan on one of their first nights staying there.

"Surely, you've heard about Fairies and their love of gold!" he teased her back. His words were light, but, with every day, as Sookie saw more and more, she began to believe that he had revealed some truth about himself to her, if she was clever enough to see it.

Now that she had free time, Sookie was able to go touring with the Callahans, searching for landscapes or points of interest. Amelia and Sean had worked a deal. Amelia got a sight-seeing opportunity, and then Sean got a stop at a local pub where he could listen for local tunes and play his mandolin. It was a happy compromise, and left all three of them with plenty of stories to share with Breandan when they returned to the Castle each night.

Breandan apologized for not taking any days off, and it pissed Sookie off. "Don't you own these places?" she asked him one night. "Surely, you could take one day to spend with your friends!"

He made his apologies, but there seemed to be some new emergency each day that required his attention and so, Sookie would find herself with her friends, as they did today, driving down country roads, singing songs, just the three of them.

They rounded the curve that led them back to Castle Linford and Sean said, "Isn't Breandan working in Slievemore today? Why don't we go into town and pick him up?"

"I don't know…" Sookie started. Breandan and she had had another tense conversation last night, and it hadn't resolved anything, except to have them sleeping on opposite sides of the bed again.

"Why wouldn't he want to see us?" Amelia pushed. "It's almost quitting time for him anyway, we'll stage a rescue!"

"We'll just stay in Slievemore," Sean continued. "We'll swing up to The Ghoul and play a few sets, and then grab something to eat in town."

"That would be great!" Amelia rushed on and without asking Sookie, they were driving down the left fork. Sookie considered texting to let Breandan know they were on their way, but town was coming up so quickly, she decided to just let things play out.

They pulled up in front of the hotel, and Sean tossed the keys to the valet who hustled out from the lobby. Amelia led the way and they breezed in, looking left and right.

There weren't many guests in the front lobby, but Sookie could see the small restaurant to the side was busy. She didn't see Breandan right away, but Preston was behind the front desk. "Where is he?" she asked.

"I'll find him," Preston said. He was wearing his best concierge face, but Sookie could tell something was off about him.

"Who's he with?" she asked and she saw it, that brief flash of guilt.

"I don't know that he's with anyone," Preston said, all too smoothly. He was texting away on a phone; their preferred method of reaching each other, and then a moment later, "He's on his way."

Sookie glanced at the stairs, and then back at the door that led to the manager's apartment, which was behind the lobby. She was half-guessing which direction he'd come from when the door to the apartment opened, but it wasn't Breandan who walked through. It was Rogan.

He walked directly toward them, but he didn't say a word. It took Sookie a moment to realize that since he was King, she was expected to make all the effort. She sketched an awkward bow before saying, "Charles!" Sookie greeted him, using the name he'd used in Killary, "It's a pleasure to see you again. Breandan didn't mention you were in town."

"You say the most delightful things," Rogan returned, "almost as if you mean them."

Eric's scent from their blood tie had worn off, as the vampire had promised, and Sookie was pleased that it had. She hadn't seen the Fae King since the night she'd fed him dinner in Killary. She was aware Breandan communicated with him, but she was equally aware that Rogan avoided her. She knew, without asking, that if she'd smelled of Eric Northman, it would have caused trouble. Sookie thought of the wish the King still owed her from the dinner she made him, and she wished she could use it to change how things were between himself and Breandan. Breandan told her that Fae wishes couldn't change the fundamental truth of who a Fae was and Sookie could tell that the casual cruelty Rogan showed his son was a part of his character. Wishes wouldn't change that.

Sookie gestured toward her friends, "You've probably heard Breandan mention our friends from America. This is Amelia and Sean Callahan. Breandan played music with Sean while we were both in Boston."

"You work in banks," Rogan said to Sean.

"I do," Sean answered.

Sookie could see her friends were puzzled, so she soldiered on, "Charles is Breandan's Father. Since this is a family business, all the hotel properties belong to Charles, as head of the family, so, I suppose, technically, we're his guests!"

Amelia's eyes widened, and then her lips pursed. Sookie knew that look; her friend was not impressed.

"I really like your family's beer," Sean said readily, more on board with the introduction. 

"It is an old recipe," Rogan acknowledged.

"We came to pick up Breandan," Sookie volunteered. "We thought since we were driving by and it was almost time for him to join us, we'd save him the bother of getting a ride around the harbor."

"Yes," Rogan smiled thinly, "I was only just told my Son chose to tie up rooms for his friends. Most generous."

"It's a wedding present," Sookie said, her smile stretching almost painfully across her face. "Sean and Amelia were only just married, and they've come here as our guests for a second honeymoon."

"And we're looking forward to doing the same for Breandan and Sookie when they get married!" Amelia gushed. "It's so romantic! I'm sure you're very happy!" Amelia put her arm around Sookie and hugged her, "After all, Sookie is the dearest person in the world! Any family would consider itself lucky to get someone like her as a daughter-in-law!"

"You are a most enthusiastic friend," Rogan observed. "And I'm sure you're right, any family would consider itself lucky."

' _Just not your family,_ ' Sookie thought sourly, not fooled in the least by the King's words. Rogan smiled tightly in Sookie's direction, and an awkward silence descended.

At last, Breandan came down the stairs, "I just saw the text!" he exclaimed. He bowed formally to his Father, then extended his hand to Sean. "Nice of you to come get me!"

"Grab your fiddle!" Amelia told him. "Ghoul's, and then wonderful Irish fish!"

"You patronize Northman,' Rogan's smile never changed. "How democratic of you!"

"It's open session tonight," Breandan seemed almost apologetic.

"I'm sure it's the highlight of every local tradesman, to see you performing," Claude said from the stairs.

Sookie couldn't help it. Her smile fell, and she saw Amelia's mouth pucker as well.

"Claude has a point," Rogan sniffed, "The O'Hara name stands for something. I'm sure many find it confusing that you would perform for them, like any common…"

"I enjoy it," Breandan interrupted. He glanced quickly at Sookie, and then Sean, "And we should go."

Sookie snuck a glance at Claude. The Fae stared back at her and then made a show of tucking his shirt into his pants. His lips curled up in his cruel smile and the look he gave her was knowing. Sookie couldn't help it. She wondered what Breandan and Claude had been doing upstairs. Why had it taken so long for Breandan to come down? Sookie knew that the suspicion she was feeling was the point of Claude's actions. It was something she could dismiss in her head, but not entirely. She found herself leaning closer to Breandan, trying to see if she could catch a stray whiff of something that didn't belong.

"What are you doing?" Breandan asked.

"Nothing!" Sookie exclaimed, then taking his hand and squeezing it, said, "Just getting closer to you!"

"You two are so cute!" Amelia added. "I can't wait to see you boys on stage. I love listening to you!"

Sookie grinned, but then her grin faded. Rogan was staring at her, and she could see the King saw nothing 'cute' in what was being said.

Breandan stepped forward and gave his formal bow, then made it clear the introduction was at an end by saying, "I thank you for your visit, Father."

Sean's look said it all as he stepped forward, thrusting his hand toward Rogan, saying, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Sir."

Rogan stared at Sean's hand until he dropped it, then managed a polite smile as he said, "And you. Always a pleasure to meet Breandan's friends." His glare at Breandan wasn't kind, "I will expect to see you early," and then, as if he'd almost forgotten, he inclined his head slightly toward Sookie, and, "Also nice to meet you," to Amelia. No one had to say it. In the end, it had been Rogan that dismissed them, and they all felt it.

"Jeez, I feel sorry for you," Sean told Breandan as they got into the car. "My Dad is tough, but yours?"

"Do yourself a favor and give him a baby right away," Amelia tossed from the backseat. "Old dinosaurs like that get all gooey when they hold their first grandchild!"

Sookie saw Breandan's face still. She knew he was thinking of the night in Killary, as she was. "Don't be holding your breath," Sookie said, trying to lighten the moment. "Breandan and I have a lot of playing around to do first. I don't think either one of us is anxious to be tied down with a baby right away!"

"Lucky!" Sean grumbled.

"It's not like you'll be inconvenienced," Amelia tapped Sean's arm. "Between your mother and mine, we'll never see it!"

They parked down the hill from Ghoul's Kiss. The pub was busy, as usual. Sookie couldn't help it. Her eyes automatically scanned toward the back. Although the tie had faded, something had happened during the time she could share his emotions, and it changed how she saw him.

"Who you looking for?" Amelia whispered in her ear. "Tall, blond and gorgeous?"

"No!" Sookie lied. "I was wondering if Pam was here."

"Not likely," Amelia purred, wrapping her hand around Sookie's arm and leading them both to a table. Breandan and Sean had immediately peeled off toward the small group of musicians, and so the two women could speak without being overheard. "If Pam's in town, she's up the street with your boss, and we both know it!" Amelia asserted.

"Well, you never…" but Amelia stopped Sookie.

"What is going on with you and Breandan? You agreed to marry him, but you just don't look like you should. You should be transcendent, glorious, shining! I mean, don't get me wrong, you have moments you look happy together, but mostly? Mostly, you don't!"

Eric chose that moment to walk behind the bar, and Sookie couldn't help it. Her breath caught, and when he smiled at her, she smiled back. "See!" Amelia punched her arm to get her attention. "That look? That's the one that's married material, not the simpering, lukewarm thing you share with Breandan O'Hara."

Sookie blushed, "I don't know what to say."

"I do," Amelia nodded. "Married is supposed to be for life, Sookie, and here, in Ireland? As Catholic as they say they are, the laws could be serious and you really could find yourself bound to him with no chance for parole!" They ordered and waited for the waitress to leave before Amelia continued, "Look, I want you married and settled here so I can have my ready-made vacation spot as much as the next selfish gal, but, Sookie! If this isn't right, you need to end it now! Don't lead him on, or get yourself trapped in something you'll regret."

"Maybe we're just having a low time," Sookie shrugged. "I mean, we had a low time after we left America, and then, he tried so hard! He took me sailing, and I can't explain it. It was magic and I felt like I had my Breandan back again. But now, it's back to…"

"Reality," Amelia nodded.

"You don't have those magic moments with Sean all the time, do you?" Sookie asked.

"Pretty much," Amelia shrugged. "It's not big, romantic things. It's everything! I feel giddy just having him smile at me," and Amelia looked back at the bar where Eric was talking with Mick. "You know, the way your heart stutters every time you look at Blond Boy."

"I'm a terrible person," Sookie sighed.

Amelia looked toward the circle of musicians. Sean was playing well, his handsome face shining, but Breandan was, as usual, the strong lead to them all. "It's not always what's on the outside," Amelia was saying. "When you met Breandan, it was like a fairy tale. Your Mom, well, she was so sick, and you were lonely. He came riding in with his GQ attitude and his fiddle music. What red-blooded gal could resist that? But, true love is a lot more."

Sookie took a drink of her gin and tonic. She didn't want to think it, but some part, maybe a big part, of what Amelia was saying resonated with her. She glanced at Breandan, looking so boyish, as he always did when he was playing. "I think it was the music that finished me," she said. "I see him playing, and it's as if his music pulls me to him!"

"He can't play forever," Amelia said sympathetically.

"I wish he could," Sookie answered.

"What are you going to do?" Amelia asked.

"Think about things, I guess," Sookie shrugged. "I don't want to throw everything away based on one night. Could be I'm hormonal. Could be that it's like I said, a rough patch that we can talk through. He's a good man, Amelia, and I know he cares for me. He loves me."

"And you love him," Amelia agreed, "But are you in love with him? Is he really your one, Sookie?"

"I guess I'd better figure that out," Sookie told her friend, and then she changed the subject, asking about the new house in Massachusetts and the country club Amelia's Mother was pressuring them into joining. Breandan and Sean finished up, and they gathered their things to head to dinner. Sookie smiled up into Breandan's face, and he smiled at her, but, in that moment, it felt more like love by numbers, and not the happy, slightly dangerous love that made you want to hold onto someone, knowing he'd keep you from falling away forever. It wasn't the way she felt when Eric Northman smiled at her.


	24. Chapter 23 - Roving

**Chapter 23 - Roving**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"I don't think you should make this decision until after you come back." Maryann and Sookie were sitting in the kitchen of the main house. There was only one couple staying at the B&B, and they'd be down in half an hour. "There's heat in the apartment. You could easily live here through the winter. There's no hurry to leave."

It was the first time Maryann had said anything that wasn't remotely Team Breandan, and Sookie couldn't hide her shock. "I thought you wanted us to get married," Sookie bit her lip. She'd been up, tossing and turning all night, questioning this very thing, and now here was her boss, expressing doubts as well.

"I don't know what I was thinking," Maryann shook her head, and then shook it again, as if she was trying to escape spider webs. "I don't think Breandan's bad, he's just not right for you."

"What brought this on?" Sookie asked.

"Again," and Maryann shrugged, "I can't explain it. Some part of me has been thinking this for a while, but I just couldn't… well, maybe I didn't want to say it out loud. It's not that you don't make a handsome couple, you do! I can see he makes you laugh but, the truth of it is, you're a strong woman, and he is not your match. Now, I know the whole business about opposites attract and finding those who fill your weaknesses, but this is different. Breandan is altogether too inclined to go along with the last person who spoke with him, which spells trouble. What's more, he's proud. He'll come to resent you and when that day comes, he'll make you a terrible husband."

"You've never said anything about this before." What was most distressing to Sookie was hearing her boss saying out loud all the faint whispers she had heard from her own self. Now, hearing the words out loud, it was all her worst fears being made real. "I promised…"

"And what is a promise, if it's made from ignorance?" Maryann scoffed. "You did the right thing, you took your time. Now, if you really think I'm full of it, then you can tell me to go stuff it, but I don't think you do."

"No, I don't think you are," Sookie shrugged. "I just don't know."

"Then, just as well you're taking this crazy adventure of yours. You'll be alone all day, and that will give you plenty of time to think things through." Sookie glanced at the hiking poles laying alongside the door. She had decided to celebrate the approach of her first year in Ireland by hiking the national trail that snaked around the peninsula here herself. It would take ten days. She'd start here at Seacoast Shores and end here, and when she returned, she'd pack and move in with Breandan, first to The Grand, then Killary once the cold weather started.

"What if I do decide not to stay with him?" Sookie asked. It was another first, the first time she'd allowed herself to say it out loud.

"You can continue to work here," Maryann assured her. "You had a dream about opening your own B&B. Your citizenship papers came through, so there's no reason you couldn't pursue that. With a word from me and Northman, you'd get another dozen book-keeping customers from town. You'd have to give up your waitressing, but you'd make a lot more money."

"I'm not sure I could stay in Slievemore if I broke it off with Breandan," Sookie told her boss. It had occurred to Sookie that as much as Breandan could be loving, he could also be cold. She hadn't seen it directed toward her in any meaningful way, but she thought that if he were to turn against her, it would be unpleasant.

"I could see that," Maryann was nodding. "He is one of the O'Haras. That means something to folks here. Still," and Maryann covered Sookie's hand with one of her own, "you have your own friends. I'd be here, and you know Pam and Eric would stand with you."

"I know," Sookie nodded. She glanced at the poles again, "I guess I have a lot to think about."

Maryann handed her a list of numbers, "I know you have a map, but these are the personal numbers and emails of all the places you'll be staying along the way. You've met most of the property owners, and they'll be looking for you."

"I hope my feet hold out!" Sookie tapped her booted feet against the floor, testing to make sure her heels weren't sliding.

"Well, you know what the walkers tell you, if you feel a hot spot forming on your foot, sit down and take a rest. Dry your feet off and change your socks. Just remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint." and Maryann stood.

Sookie took a deep breath and rose as well. She lifted her speed pack and tested the tube for her water one last time. "Thank you," she told Maryann, and then hugged her.

"Just take care of yourself and text me when you arrive," Maryann told her. "I'll see you when you return, and don't forget, if you run out of steam or find yourself in trouble, I'm only a phone call away."

"What kind of trouble am I going to find out there?" Sookie asked. "I'll be hiking during daytime hours and there's good people looking for me at the end of each trail."

"I still can't believe you're crazy enough to this do," Maryann was laughing as they walked out the front door. "The idea of walking all over the countryside for fun? I can think of far nicer ways to spend my hours. Shopping! That's my idea."

"If I know more about the trail, I can answer questions," Sookie shrugged, but they both knew she wasn't telling the entire truth. The entire truth was that Sookie yearned for time to herself, just walking outside. She remembered the woods and glades of her childhood. She thought of the glimpses of country lanes she saw with Amelia and Sean. Combined with the stories she'd heard from the hikers who'd stayed at Seacoast Shores, it had created a powerful desire within her to walk the steps and see backcountry Ireland for herself.

This first leg of her journey would be twenty miles. It didn't sound that long, and she had most of the day to walk it. The weather report wasn't promising, but Sookie had learned from her first days here to dress appropriately and be prepared. Everything she wore was weatherproof, and her poles would keep her from losing her footing on slick footpaths. With a last nod, she headed down the driveway, and then took a right, walking up the sidewalk the half mile until she reached the signpost that directed her to a farm road that snaked her up into the hills.

Breandan and she fought over this. He was angry, insisting that, at a minimum, she move her things to The Grand before she left. When she refused, he left in a huff. That had been two days ago, and she'd heard nothing from him since. It hurt. He was her fiancé, so she expected some understanding, but, in the end, he had been angry that she was taking unnecessary risks and for no good reason, and his anger outweighed his need to see her.

Pam hadn't been too encouraging either. "At least you'll have a soft bed at the end of each leg," she'd sniffed. "And a shower! I don't understand why you think this is appealing." but then, she'd gifted Sookie with her speed pack and a camelback water bag. "I hear hydration is important," she'd told Sookie, and made sure she had phone numbers and an emergency phone recharger in her bag.

It was Eric who was her real supporter. "I always said you were brave," he'd told her when she explained she'd be out of town for a few weeks. "Leave it to you to find some new adventure."

Sookie always felt good being around Eric. It wasn't the blood tie anymore. That was gone, instead, it was him. True, she saw him less since her engagement to Breandan. He was careful not be alone with her and Pam explained that in their world, it was important to make sure no one could interpret their actions against them. "You're wearing Brigant's token," she pointed at Breandan's ring, "and everyone knows the circumstances around you taking Eric's blood. We know it was innocent, but the Fae have long memories."

"It wasn't anything," Sookie protested.

"But, if there were a hint that there was," Pam told her, "Breandan would be within his rights to give Eric his final death. You, too."

"He wouldn't do that," Sookie protested.

"He might not," Pam agreed, "but Rogan would."

That put a damper on Sookie's righteous indignation. She was pretty sure Pam was right. Sookie didn't doubt that Rogan, or Claude for that matter, would have any problem handing out death sentences, and so she'd resigned herself to friendly conversations and never standing closer than within an arm's length of Eric Northman.

The morning started well. Sookie soon found herself high above the valleys, halfway to the top of hills that were green below and dirt above. As she walked, she saw a farm truck coming toward her. The three men in the truck waved as they passed, and she noticed the dog with them. They stopped not far from where she stood, and one of the men headed up the hill, staff in hand, and the dog followed him. Sookie watched as the man signaled the dog, using whistles and hand gestures, and the dog started running up and down the barren hills, chasing the sheep that were grazing there. There was gorse growing, bristly and sharp, and the dog had to weave in and around it. Before she knew it, an hour had passed. The men wandered over and she asked questions about the sheep. They explained the markings on their backs and quizzed her about moving here from America. They pulled out sandwiches and shared them. The sky was threatening by the time Sookie moved along, and while she wished she had moved along sooner, she didn't regret the time she'd spent with the farmers.

The trail climbed higher. She was walking along a thin, dirt trail when the raindrops started. It wasn't bad, at first. The ground was dry, so the rain seemed to be absorbed, but then, the rain got steadier. There were rills and streams that formed on the hillside, running down natural courses. At one point, Sookie found herself standing on one side of a rushing torrent of water, but, fortunately, there were stones that formed steps. The soles of her boots were under water, and she had a tense moment when her boot slipped a bit, but she was soon safely over, squinting against the rain and looking for her next marker.

For the next few hours, the rain continued. Sometimes, it was pouring in hard, pelting drops, but other times, it was more of a continuous, greasy shower that left the footing treacherous and her fingers numb. Her waterproof pants and slicker kept her warm and dry underneath, but nothing could help the chill that set into her hands or the constant flow of her cold, wet nose.

When the rain finally let up, Sookie realized she still had many miles to go. She thought about the phone numbers in her Contacts list, but it felt like admitting defeat. She couldn't do it.

She collapsed one of her two walking sticks, strapping it to her pack, and then took turns, trading off from one hand to the other, tucking her free hand into her jacket pocket, flexing her fingers and warming herself.

The sun started fading from the sky, and Sookie started to worry. She'd estimated it would take six or seven hours, but she hadn't counted on stopping to watch the sheep dog work, or the rain that made walking quickly impossible. She had a flashlight and she had a map. She was pretty sure she was less than three miles from her destination, but she found herself thinking over every turn, and rejoicing at each marker she passed, thrilled to see tangible evidence that she wasn't lost.

The one bright spot was that her feet were holding up. She wasn't sure what she would have done if she'd had to stop to change socks. There were no shelters here, no trees. She would have had to improvise something, looking for an overhang under some rock or against the wall of turf that formed the upper edge of trail in places.

It was past time for her to arrive when she saw the lights of the town ahead of her. She had read the instructions so many times, she'd memorized them. The path joined an unpaved road, and then the unpaved road turned onto a paved one. She walked between houses, first set far apart, and then closer together, until she reached a crossroads. There wasn't much there: a bus stop, two pubs, and a cluster of houses. They were on a hill, and one road led down a fairly steep incline. From where she was standing, Sookie could see the ocean in the distance.

Biting her lip, Sookie headed down the hill. She walked less than a quarter of a mile before seeing her destination on the right. It was a lovely house with a screened-in front porch and a large driveway. There was a light on and now that Sookie was here, she allowed herself to feel how tired and cold she was.

She knocked twice, and the door opened. "Thank goodness," the woman exclaimed. "Maryann's already called me twice. We were thinking we'd need to send someone out to find you."

Sookie found herself ushered into the hallway, and was instructed to drop her wet boots and raingear in the hall. The woman tutted and fussed. "Your suitcase is already upstairs. Now, let's get you settled. You can take a hot shower, and I'll bring you up some tea."

The room was located up the stairs and down a short hallway. There was a skylight over the bed, and a small, frosted window in the bathroom. Sookie's suitcase was laying on a luggage holder. "You look a sight, if you don't mind my saying," her hostess, Mary, was telling her. "There's plenty of hot water. Use as much as you like. There's dinner at the pub up at the crossroads, and don't you worry, I'll give you a lift there whenever you like." She handed Sookie the key, "Oh, dear, your hands are like ice!" and she grasped Sookie's icy fingers in her own.

"I'll listen for the water to stop, and then I'll bring up the tea tray. There's a little room just next door. I'll see you in a bit," and Mary turned, shutting the door behind her.

Sookie fingers shook as she unzipped her bag. She pulled out the warmer clothes she'd brought, and she half-considered sliding into her pajamas and calling it a night, but then her stomach growled. She'd brought a sandwich and some raw vegetables in her speed pack, which she'd eaten along the trail, but it had been so wet, that eating had been a hurried affair. "Get warm!" she said out loud, "Think about the rest later."

The shower was everything Sookie hoped. The water was hot and there was soap provided. Sookie had her little travel bag and she washed her hair, loving how the warmth of the water over her scalp seemed to make everything feel warmer. When she stepped out of the shower, the room was steamy. Sookie took a few minutes to scrub her teeth, and then stepped into the cooler bedroom to finish drying and get dressed.

"My boots really held up," she told herself, examining each foot carefully for red marks or baby blisters. She pulled on softer socks and a thin wool sweater. Now that she was washed and warm, she felt almost bursting with health. "I made it," she told her reflection in the mirror. "Only nine more legs to go."

She used the hair dryer Mary supplied, leaving her hair to fall in soft curls and tendrils. When she was satisfied, she used a little eyeliner and a dab of blush before heading toward where she could hear activity next door.

"It's all waiting for you," Mary winked as she bustled past. Sookie felt a momentary pang. She had hoped the landlady would hang around and chat for a bit. Although the path was hard, she found she wanted to share what she'd seen, but Sookie could tell she was Mary's only guest. She wasn't surprised, being so late in the season.

"Thanks," Sookie called to her landlady's back, and then stepped into the room and stopped again.

"Eric!" Sookie blinked. It didn't seem real. "How…"

"You didn't check in. Maryann was worried," he said, and then poured a cup of tea from the pot and extended it toward her.

"And you came out here to make sure I was okay?" Sookie took the cup from him. She found her heart warming. "That was so kind!" She sat down, staring at him until she realized what she was doing, and then she blushed and looked down.

"Why didn't you text anyone back?" Eric asked.

"My phone!" Sookie exclaimed. She set the cup down and ran down the stairs to where her rain gear hung on hooks in the hallway. She unzipped the inside pocket in her rain pants and pulled her phone out. She glanced at the screen and saw the list of texts. There were messages from Maryann, Pam, and Eric. She thumbed up and down the screen. None of the messages were from Breandan.

Her heart felt funny as she walked back upstairs. She stopped in her room to grab her charger and the emergency charger Pam gave her, before walking back into the sitting room and plugging everything into the wall adapters. Eric was leaning back in his chair, looking as if he didn't have a care in the world. "I'm sorry. I guess I was so preoccupied, I forgot about my phone," she apologized.

"It had to have been a challenging walk," Eric offered.

"Not all of it," Sookie replied, and then she proceeded to tell him about her day. He rarely interrupted, but when he did, it wasn't to change the subject.

"I must be boring you to death," Sookie finally said.

"Not a problem with me, since technically, I'm already dead," Eric laughed.

"That's terrible!" Sookie scowled.

"But true, nonetheless," Eric didn't look the least put out by it. He glanced at his watch. "If you are thinking about dinner, we should get going soon. The pub kitchen won't be open that long this time of year and, at some point, your body is going to want to shut down."

"Oh," Sookie exclaimed, reluctant to lose Eric's company.

"Don't worry," he teased her. "I plan to come with you! I have the night off and no one to torture, so my time is yours."

"You're not worried about being alone with me?" It wasn't a fair question, but Sookie asked it anyway.

"We are technically out of Rogan's territory," Eric told her. "He may spy, but there's little he can do at the moment."

"Whose territory are we in, then?" Sookie asked.

"My Queen's," he told her. "This is kind of a border area between the lands of the Seelie. Your Grandfather's realm is farther South. You'll be walking there the day after tomorrow, but, for now, you are in my lands, and the lands of my people. I'll make sure no one molests you."

"Molests me?" It seemed an odd turn of phrase.

"Well, other than me," and Eric gave her that pirate grin that had Sookie grinning back. "We should go," and he stood and offered Sookie his hand.

For some reason, Sookie took care to extend the hand that didn't wear Breandan's token. She didn't know why that seemed important, but it did. "Get your coat," Eric told her as they passed her bedroom.

Sookie had brought a warm, fleece jacket with her. It wasn't particularly waterproof, but it would keep her dry unless the rain was really coming down. She zipped it up and then joined Eric in the hallway. He led the way downstairs and then outside.

"Mary said she'd give me a lift up the hill," Sookie told him.

"I think I can take care of that," the vampire grinned. He scooped her up against him and the next thing she knew, Sookie was flying up and over the trees.

"Holy shit!" she swore. She grabbed Eric's coat, happy her fingers were working again.

"I won't drop you," he chuckled. It was only a few minutes and they were descending behind the buildings, out of public view.

"Do you do that all the time?" Sookie stammered, trying to catch her breath.

"You are the first hybrid I've ever flown with," he winked.

"From what I hear, I'm probably the only hybrid you've ever seen up close," Sookie teased back.

"Also true," and Eric took her arm and guided her to the sidewalk and then into the bar.

"You don't have to do this," Sookie told him. "I know there's nothing here you can eat. If this makes you uncomfortable…"

"I enjoy watching you eat," Eric assured her. "Besides, it makes it easier for me to know when to give you a lift back to the B&B if I'm here."

When they walked in, Sookie saw they were the only couple. There were several men at the bar who seemed to be friends with the bartender. "I'll be right over with menus," the bartender called.

The menu was extensive with options covering both the front and back, but when Sookie asked, she found out not many of the selections were available. She landed on a lamb dish with rice done in a Moroccan style. Eric ordered her a gin and tonic, and Sookie smiled her thanks when it was delivered. "Sure I can't get you anything, Sheriff?" the bartender asked. "I have something special in the back that might be to your taste."

Eric nodded, and soon the bartender returned with a ceramic mug filled with a liquid. "He knows what you are?" Sookie whispered.

"He knows," Eric nodded. "I have duties that bring me here, and, as I said, this town does fall in our territory. He doesn't ask much, and we pay well." Eric sat back when Sookie's dinner arrived and he sipped while she dug in.

"You have a healthy appetite," he complimented when she pushed the empty plate away.

"No manners are more like it," Sookie laughed. "I don't think I stopped to breath, but boy, It tasted so good."

"Physical exertion outside always makes food taste better," Eric observed.

"Do you remember?" Sookie asked, then blushed to have asked something so personal. "I'm sorry. That was rude."

"I do remember," he told her. "Even so long ago, I remember the smell of my Mother's baking. She was talented, and my Father would bring saffron especially for her. Our slaves did the other cooking, but the baking? That was her kingdom." Eric settled back. "I've been coming to this place for ages. I remember when there were no people living here. I landed on one of my first raiding parties not far from here. My people didn't venture to these western coasts often, but, because of that, there were more riches to be had."

"It's hard for me to even imagine how long ago that was," Sookie told him. Her eyes were shining, "I can't imagine all the things you've seen."

"It has been a wonderful existence," Eric agreed. "It was not easy at first, but I find I don't regret any of it."

"You're lucky," Sookie told him. "You know what you want, and you have it."

"I know what I want," Eric leaned toward her, "but I wouldn't say that I have everything I wish." There was something about the way he was looking at her that made Sookie feel warm.

"I guess we should head back," Sookie stammered. She found she had a hard time looking at Eric, and when they stepped behind the pub and he gathered her against him, Sookie found her heart was pounding.

They landed in the driveway and Eric walked her to the front door. "I want something from you," he told her.

"What?" Sookie couldn't imagine what Eric would ask for. She didn't think it was access to her bed, although she half-hoped he'd ask. For a moment, she wondered if he'd ask for a kiss, then thought how silly that was. Eric Northman was a full-grown man, not some silly boy willing to beg for favors.

"I want to take blood from you." He was staring at her in a very direct way.

"I thought you didn't want to feed from me." Sookie's forehead wrinkled as she tried to puzzle this out.

"It's not like that," Eric told her. "The tie between us has faded and I can't feel you anymore. When I heard you were missing, I didn't like it. If I take a little blood from you, I can track you, in case you're in trouble."

"You want to track me?" Sookie couldn't help the tone. "What? Like sticking a homing beacon on me?"

"Not exactly," Eric shook his head, and then, breaking into a grin, he shrugged. "Well, maybe a little."

"Aren't you worried about people smelling you on me?" Sookie remembered Eric's warning and how people had reacted before, including Breandan.

"No," Eric shook his head. "I will only take a little and by the time you return home, it will have largely worn off."

"I don't know…" Sookie said, and then to her surprise, she said, "Well, you better come in, then."

Eric looked surprised, too, but he followed her into the hall, and then up the stairs. Sookie didn't take him into her bedroom, though. Instead, she turned on the light in the sitting room where they'd had tea earlier. "How do you want to do this?" she asked, flicking her hair away from one side of her neck.

"You seem to have something in mind already," Eric murmured. He held her eyes as he pushed her hair back a little further. He stepped around her, running his hand over her shoulder. He settled behind her, and Sookie found she was trembling.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered, ghosting fingers along the side of her neck. "I won't hurt you." She still jumped when his head lowered. He ran his cheek alongside her head, his hands smoothing her arms. It was almost as though he was gentling her, accustoming her to the feel of him, and it worked. Sookie found herself relaxing to his touch. His nose ran up the column of her neck, and then his tongue. It was almost as though there was a live wire between his tongue, her neck, and her lady parts.

"Oh," Sookie sighed, and he struck. His arm came around her, holding her tight. Sookie's mouth opened, and she felt her eyes go glassy. It was amazing. She knew she was bleeding, but it was as though her heartbeat was tied from his mouth to her entire body. She was dying, but she'd never felt so alive.

Eric lifted his head and his grip eased. Sookie entwined her fingers with his, lifting his wrist to her mouth and bit down. Eric made a noise in back of her. He pressed himself against her and she could feel his length, hard against her backside, and then he pulled his wrist away. He turned her to him, "Why did you do that?"

Sookie was sure that her mouth was bloody, and she suddenly felt very foolish. "I thought that's what we were doing," she told him, "You know, drinking from each other."

"I didn't mean this to be mutual," Eric told her. "I just wanted enough from you to be able to track you. I wanted to know how you were feeling."

"Well, I didn't drink much!" Sookie apologized. "I'm sorry! I misunderstood." She felt miserable, and she suddenly wondered if what she was feeling was from her, or from Eric. "I make a mistake." and Sookie felt even more miserable after a single tear fell down her cheek.

"Don't cry!" Eric stepped back. "Please! I don't like it when you cry."

"I don't either," Sookie exclaimed, her humiliation complete.

"It's done," Eric said quickly. "I'm sure it will be fine. You didn't take much, as you said. You will be walking for days. The effects should fade before you return to Slievemore."

"I didn't mean to cause trouble," Sookie apologized again.

"I'm beginning to think you are the definition of trouble," Eric told her, but then his sour face lifted and he shook his head. "You are trouble, Miss Stackhouse, and a great deal of it. Now," and he glanced at the door, "Morning will come all too soon, and you have a long walk ahead of you. Not quite so far tomorrow, but more hills."

"Will I see you tomorrow, too?" Sookie asked.

She was sure he would say he had things to do, but instead, Eric said, "I wouldn't doubt it. It's a small town. You'll still be in vampire territory, but you may have found other company by then, and my coming will just make it a crowd."

"I doubt it," Sookie told him, "and you've had my blood, so you know I'm not lying."

That night, as Sookie stared through her skylight at the stars above, she thought about Breandan. She'd checked the phone twice after Eric left, but there were no messages. Finally, at wit's end, she texted him. That had been an hour ago, but she'd not received any answer.

She tossed, she turned, and finally, dipped her fingers between her legs, thinking if she gave herself an orgasm, she'd relax enough to find sleep. It worked, but it wasn't Breandan's name she thought when she found her completion.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Breakfast done, Sookie was underway for the second leg of her journey. Her suitcase was packed and labeled, ready for the service to pick it up and ferry it forward to the next B&B for her. The sky this morning was overcast, but her phone was promising sun later in the morning. Sookie examined her map, _'If I can be on top of the hills before the sun comes out, I'll be better off_ ,' she thought.

The start of the walk was relatively flat. The sky stretched grey and cloudy above her. There were flat pastures laid out to either side of the trail. The hills that had hemmed her in yesterday had receded, giving way to a wide valley where she saw more cows than sheep.

It was easy to see how agriculture was changing things here. There were stone walls that extended all the way up the faraway hillsides, dividing the land into wobbly squares. Those squares that were further down the flanks of the hills were colored with the green of grass, but those fields that were further up the hills were covered in the grey of gorse and low shrubs, except in some places. Sookie thought those few fields that were green further up the hills were evidence of farmers reclaiming the land.

At one point, she walked through an extensive stand of trees. They were fenced off, and the map labeled them as a plantation. Sookie looked at the land around her again. "I bet this was all wooded once upon a time," she said out loud.

As if in answer, a small bird flew out of the woods and landed on a fence nearby. "Hello," Sookie greeted him. The bird cocked its head to one side and when Sookie started walking again, the bird flew ahead, perching on the fence. It seemed to wait, and then, when Sookie drew abreast of where it was sitting, it sang.

The sun broke through the clouds, catching the green of leaves and the quick brown of flowing water, and Sookie gasped. "It really is the most beautiful place," she told the bird, and then as if in answer, the bird altered its tune, singing another refrain just as beautiful as the first.

Sookie looked around, then checked the road in front of her, and behind. She couldn't see anyone anywhere, and so she held out her hand. The bird looked at her, then, it flew to perch on Sookie's fingers. It's sharp little claws hurt, but Sookie kept her hand still, as not to startle it. "You sing beautifully," she praised the bird, and lifted her other hand to stroke his bright breast. He watched her, his black beady eyes looking curious and alert.

"Want to see something cool?" she asked the bird, and then lifted her hand. "You'd better fly over there," she instructed. "I haven't done this in a while, and I'm not sure what will happen."

The bird did fly a short distance, then perched, watching her. Sookie held out her hand again, but this time she thought of the colors around her and the sunshine. It felt different here. The feelings of things seemed bigger somehow. She could feel the pulling but, at the same time, things seemed to hold back. She almost gave up, and then, with a rush, everything came together, but the swirl of color and energy that balanced on her hand was bigger than anything she'd accomplished before. It weighed nothing, but it stood taller than her and as she watched, it grew. Soon it was stretching into the sky, and Sookie was sure she could hear a rushing noise as it twisted and swirled.

"That's enough," she gasped and just like that, it was gone. It took a minute for Sookie to catch her breath, and she glanced at the fence, assuming the bird would be gone, but he wasn't. He was still there, watching her closely. "Can you believe that?" Sookie asked, and then, because she felt wonderful, she laughed out loud.

The miles ticked by, and the sun was just setting when Sookie saw the houses of her destination huddled in front of her. It was another hour of trudging down from the hills before her feet were finally on pavement and she was walking into town.

This time, the B&B was right at the crossroads. She knocked at the door, and another landlady answered. "Well, hello there," she greeted Sookie. "My name is Mary, and it's happy I am to meet you."

"My hostess yesterday was Mary, too," Sookie laughed.

"It's the rare family in these parts that doesn't have at least one Mary," her hostess laughed, and showed Sookie inside.

Sookie's bedroom this time was on the first floor. She had doors that opened onto a small patio. It was so lovely that Sookie sat outside, sipping the tea this new Mary brought her after she'd showered. The sun winked down below the sunset and as the last of the rays left, a soft glow fell over the countryside.

She could feel him! He was coming and Sookie raised her eyes to the sky, searching for him. _'I like this,_ ' she realized. She liked feeling Eric Northman. She liked how happy he was. She felt anxious to see him, and she thought that she was feeling his anticipation as well. By the time he landed on the patio beside her, Sookie's face was flushed and her heart was beating just a little faster.

"Sookie!" he greeted her with his deep, pure voice, and then he stopped. His fangs dropped and Sookie was pretty sure he hissed. Eric's eyes were narrowed and he looked both left and right, literally sniffing the air before turning to her and snarling, "What did you do?" He gulped air and pulled himself up, leaning away from her before adding, "Who were you with today?"

"No one," Sookie exclaimed, "What's wrong with you?"

"You reek of magic," Eric groaned. "It makes me want to rub myself all over you, and drink you, and fuck you!"

Sookie almost teased, until she saw the wild look in Eric's eyes. He did look as though he was struggling for control. "Do I need to go inside?" she asked.

"No!" Eric snapped, then, more quietly, "No, I am holding my breath. It is better now." He still kept his distance, and he moved upwind of her before asking, "Do you know how this happened?"

"Well, I guess I did it," Sookie told him. She hesitated a moment before telling Eric about her playing today. She told him about how birds and animals seemed to like her, and then she told him about forming her little whirlwinds.

"Are you tired?" Eric asked.

"No, but I'm hungry," Sookie told him.

"Go ahead and have the landlady direct you to the pub," Eric told her. "I'll go get someone, and we'll meet you there."

"Who are you getting?" Sookie asked.

"Help," Eric replied, and then, shooting straight into the air, he was gone.

Mary told Sookie that the best dinner was only a few doors away and she was right. Dinner was a hearty fish chowder followed by chicken with root vegetables. There was plenty of brown bread on the table and Sookie dissected it, analyzing the ingredients and speculating about how to improve her own.

She was almost starting on the bread pudding when Claudine and Eric walked in. "Hello, Cousin," Claudine greeted her. She glided over in her beautiful way, and she leaned close, kissing Sookie's cheek. After a moment, she turned to Eric, "It's okay. I've shielded her scent."

Eric approached then, and the bartender came over with two glasses. Sookie hadn't seen anyone ask for anything, but he seemed to know. "Sheriff," he bowed to Eric, and then, "Ma'am," to Claudine.

"Eric tells me you have been up to some interesting tricks today, Sookie," Claudine lifted the extra spoon from the table and helped herself to a bite of Sookie dessert. "Why don't you tell me what you did?"

"I made whirlwinds," Sookie shrugged.

"How do you do that?" Claudine smiled. Sookie could see her cousin's sharp interest, it was just under her all-too-human face.

"I call the light to my hand and it just forms," Sookie explained. She'd never really thought about the mechanics of it, it was just something she could do.

"Does it only work in sunlight?" Claudine's head cocked to the side.

"I don't know," Sookie replied. "I mean, I've done it with Daddy at night, using light from the lamp in my bedroom."

Claudine nibbled her lip. Sookie took advantage of her cousin's preoccupation to take a bite of the bread pudding herself. Eric hadn't said anything. He was leaning back in his chair, his hand wrapped around his mug as he sipped. "We should see if you can work with starlight," Claudine said, half to herself.

"What is it?" Eric asked.

"I'm not exactly sure," and Claudine stole another spoonful of the pudding, "but Grandfather will want to know as much as possible before she arrives tomorrow."

"Where am I going?" Sookie asked.

"Your hike takes you into Niall's territory," Eric told her.

"Grandfather will want to see you," Claudine added. "He's very fond of you."

"Based on only meeting me one time?" and Sookie didn't bother to hide her skepticism.

"Fae are dedicated to their family," Claudine shrugged. "It's our way."

Sookie turned to stare at Eric. It was the tie, she could feel his cynicism. He must have known because he quickly added, "Niall is interested in you," to cover himself.

Eric settled their bill, and together they walked outside. "The far hill?" Claudine asked. Eric nodded, and before she had a chance to ask, Sookie was in Eric's arms and flying into the night sky.

"If you don't start warning me," Sookie yelled, "I'm just going to throw up all over you." She could feel Eric laughing, and she heard him, too.

In just a few minutes, they landed somewhere that seemed high and far away from anyone. The stars were bright overhead, and Sookie spun around so she could look at the lights of houses far below her. "Done?" Claudine seemed to appear from nowhere, making Sookie jump. "Good. I have your attention. Now, focus. Can you show us what you did?"

Sookie felt reluctant. She couldn't help it, this was something her Father always told her was a secret, but then she felt as if someone was giving her encouragement, and she realized it was Eric. "Thanks," she told him. "That feels really nice."

"You bonded with her?" Claudine's eyes narrowed.

"No, of course not," Eric insisted. "It's a tie, nothing more."

Sookie looked around, wondering where she could pull the light and then she thought of the stars. She held out her hand and almost without thinking, silvery pale light formed its column. It was so much easier this time. The whirlwind grew tall and more distinct. Sookie felt her hair lifting in the wind it created. It was almost as though it had some kind of electricity, and she felt a power running through her. Her face lifted toward the sky and she was laughing!

"Sookie." It was as if the voice was in her head. "Sookie!" it said, more insistently now, and Sookie stopped laughing to turn and see Eric. His eyes were glowing in the night and for an instant, she thought she saw the black dog from Boston.

"Oh," and she released it. The whirlwind rose into the sky, and then, with a little pop, it broke into threads and swirls, seeming to dissipate into the night sky.

"What was that?" Eric asked Claudine.

"I don't know," the Fae replied, "but it was powerful. Grandfather will need to hear about this."

"It was beautiful," Sookie sighed. She couldn't help it. She was proud of the structure she'd pulled from the stars.

"Yes," and Eric approached her, "yes, it was, very beautiful." Sookie smiled into his eyes, and she tried to believe that Eric's words were meant for her and not her whirlwind.

"You will be in Carreigh tomorrow?" Claudine confirmed. Returning to the town where her Grandmother had been born was part of the appeal of the hike Sookie was taking.

"Hopefully before late afternoon," Sookie confirmed.

"You remember the pub where we met?" Claudine asked and when Sookie said that she did, Claudine told her that she would meet her there around five.

"Are you coming, too?" Sookie automatically asked Eric.

The vampire glanced at Claudine. The Fae shrugged and he said, "I always enjoy my visits with your Grandfather."

"You should take her back," Claudine told Eric. "I've deadened her smell. You don't need to worry about it returning any time soon."

"She should learn to hide it on her own," Eric said over Sookie's head.

"Well, 'she' is right here, and you might try talking to me," Sookie sniped.

"And so you are," Eric grinned and before she could say anything more, Sookie was back in the air, hurtling through the dark sky toward the gathering of lights.

When he dropped her next to her room again, Sookie was flush-faced and breathless. "You sure know how to make an entrance," she laughed.

"Not yet," Eric teased, and he started to saunter toward her. It was in the roll of his hips and the angle of his jaw. Sookie felt both stalked and admired. She backed up a little, and Eric grinned his pirate smile, "Offering to let me chase you? Vampires love to chase!"

Sookie stopped walking backward, instead planting her hand against Eric's chest. "You really are dangerous," she giggled.

"Not to you," he said, his voice low and gravelly. His lips were close to hers. She could have kissed him if she just leaned forward. She thought he would, but then he suddenly straightened up, leaving her almost staggering. "Good night, Miss Stackhouse," and he launched back in into the sky.

"Especially to me," Sookie sighed, touching her fingers to her lips and imagining the feel of Eric's.


	25. Chapter 24 - Switching Colors

**Chapter 24 – Switching Colors**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Sookie's hike on that third day was almost nostalgic. Her paths kept her just above the roads she'd driven with Amelia when her friend first visited Ireland. Then, it had been January and Sookie was so excited to find out about her Grandmother they barely noticed the cold. She had been living in Killary, and was just beginning to doubt Breandan. It was before The Grand and before Claude.

September was different. Now there were days that were raw, the rain bringing with it the bite of the ocean, but there were still other days when temperatures were balmy. Now, Sookie knew she had a Grandfather. She knew Pam and Maryann, and she knew in her heart that Breandan Brigant was not going to work out.

It was a feeling that had been growing, and, as Sookie walked, the hours passing, she found herself making mental lists of all the things he'd said and all the things he hadn't. She thought about what it was that attracted her to him and she started to see that while he had some endearing qualities, her choosing Breandan had more to do with listening to others than her choosing what was best for her.

She could hardly think of her Mother without crying, and she appreciated the strong emotions attached to that moment in the hospital when her Mother had laid her hand in Breandan's, a last wish for her daughter. "I wonder what you'd say now?' Sookie asked the air, hoping that somewhere Michele heard her.

Sookie thought of those strong heroines in the books she loved, the ones who walked away from bad boyfriends to find the loves of their lives. It gave her strength, because the idea of walking away from Breandan for the second time and finding herself alone in a strange country was daunting. "But you won't be alone!" she lectured herself. "There's Pam, and Maryann, and all the other people you've met along the way!"

As she walked further, she said, "You could always return to the United States." She thought of Aunt Linda. She knew the offer to live in Minnesota still held. Aunt Linda emailed her at least once a week. Linda had heard from Jason. He was in San Diego, but scheduled to be deployed to sea very soon. Aunt Linda told Sookie her brother was hurting over the news of their Mother's death, but it hadn't inspired him to email Sookie, not even once.

"I could go back," Sookie assured herself, but, deep down, she knew that going back to the United States felt like losing. "I like it here!" she said with more confidence than she felt.

By late morning, Sookie was back in farm country. The unpaved path became an unpaved road. She found herself walking lanes with high stone walls on either side, but it was hard to see the stones. The walls were encased in solid masses of moss and plants. Fuchsia was everywhere, a riot of reds and pinks, and fat, lazy bees buzzed around her.

Birds followed her, mostly songbirds, pacing the lanes, singing their songs, and then trading places with other songbirds once she walked out of their range. She had a feeling she'd passed into her Grandfather's kingdom when the songbirds were replaced with great ravens. These birds watched her in a more focused way. Some had black beaks, but others had grey. Sometimes, they landed on the walls or trees nearby, huddling in pairs or groups and Sookie could almost hear words as they croaked to each other.

"Just tell him I'm here!" she yelled at one especially noisy bunch. If they did understand, they didn't give any sign. They simply sent some of their number to fly ahead, waiting for her to approach, and then making their raucous noise, jangling her nerves.

When she stopped for lunch, the ravens seemed to take that as a sign to gather in greater numbers. There was a stand of trees just across the road from where Sookie perched on a low, stone wall. She pulled the last ham sandwich Mary had made from her speed pack along with cookies and an apple. As she started to eat, the ravens set up such a racket, Sookie could barely hear herself think.

With a huff, she pulled off a piece of her sandwich and tossed it into the road. Immediately two large ravens flew down and fought over it. Looking up at the tree, Sookie took the cookies. She carefully broke them into pieces and threw them on the road, too. More birds flew down and by the time she'd finished, the crowd of birds in the tree had diminished. "Are you going to leave me alone now?" she asked one raven that seemed to be watching her.

Of course, the bird didn't answer, but then again, maybe it did. The ravens lifted from the road and they accompanied by their fellows in the tree, took wing, flying away into the landscape. It was as though a heaviness in the air flew away with them, and Sookie found her heart lighter when she finished up what was left of her lunch and started to walk again.

Like the two days before, the trail meandered. Today though, it was more civilized than the days before. There were no high hills to traverse. Instead, Sookie found herself on farm lanes and long stretches of pavement, crossing streams and pacing cows. Most of the roads were narrow, and she learned how to lean around corners to look for vehicles. Most times, she had to actually step off the road when a car came toward her, but every driver nodded or waved. Soon Sookie found herself nodding and waving in return.

It was nearing three when the sun suddenly came out in all its glory, and the cool gave way to muggy heat. Within an hour, Sookie's armpits were prickling and she found herself panting up even slight grades. She sucked at her water and wished she'd kept some of her cookies for the energy the sugar would have given her.

It was past five when she finally spotted the town. It came into view until she walked around a bend in the trail, and then it hid again until she cleared the next curve. Every time she saw the cluster of houses, it was a little closer, teasing her with its promise of a shower and a cold drink.

It was another hour before she reached the crossroads, and she headed straight to the B&B where she and Amelia had stayed all those months ago. Christine, the landlady, was just the way Sookie remembered her. She smiled her broad smile and lifted Sookie's suitcase herself from where it was waiting in the front hall. "Follow me, and you'd better hurry. Your guests are already down the street at the pub. They've been waiting some time for you to arrive."

Sookie did hurry. She stripped out of sweaty clothes and jumped in the shower. She washed her hair and left it to air dry, even though it meant she'd be stuck with a tumble of curls and waves. Opening her suitcase, she found her one light dress. She pulled a sweater over it; evenings were cooler. It didn't look amazing, but she shrugged at her reflection. ' _What do they expect?_ ' she thought. _'I'm hiking!'_

The pub was as she remembered. Niall and Claudine were seated at the same table she'd used before. "Granddaughter!" Niall greeted her. He was wearing casual slacks and a fisherman's sweater. Sookie thought he looked like something out of an Irish Tourist Board commercial, but she bit her tongue, and dutifully kissed his cheek, and then offered hers in return.

Claudine was a little more forward, kissing Sookie on the mouth and hugging her close before stepping back so they could all sit down. Sookie glanced around, half-hoping to see Eric, but then she stopped. The sun was still setting. It wasn't likely he'd be here for a while.

There was a ripple around them, and Niall dropped his masque. "Please be yourself," he urged Sookie. "Those around us will see and hear what we wish. You can be perfectly at ease." Sookie managed to drop her masque, but it made her nervous. She was even more nervous when Niall said, "Claudine described your abilities. You say you can draw in sunlight as well?"

"Yes, Grandfather," Sookie mumbled.

"Speak up, Sookie!" Niall scowled, "What Claudine described is unusual, and I don't want to have to strain to hear what you're describing. Were you always able to manifest it with the size you achieved last night?"

"No," and Sookie sat straight, placing her hands in her lap. "No, this is the first time it got larger than me. It's been a while since I tried. Really only once since Daddy died. Of course, I didn't think about it getting any bigger then. It was… I don't know, kind of a toy, if you know what I mean."

"I don't," Niall sniffed. "Magic is never a toy. Can you make it go where you will it? This energy column?"

"I could," Sookie told him. "Daddy and I would practice making it jump around the room. I was pretty good at it."

Niall sat back. "Your Grandmother, Adele, was a special person. She was human, but I always suspected she was something else. I have no other explanation for your abilities. There is no record of a hybrid ever possessing elemental magic and yet, here you are."

"Elemental?" Sookie couldn't decipher Claudine's expression. Her cousin seemed balanced between impressed and appalled.

"You can create your force from even the dimmest light. You can control its size and move it." Niall turned his odd eyes toward her, "Sookie, you have something rare, and that changes things."

Sookie looked from her Grandfather to Claudine. Niall had sat back and seemed lost in thought. Claudine wasn't looking at her. Instead, she was looking at Niall. The waiter came forward. He had plates for all of them. "You ordered dinner for me?" Sookie asked.

"You're American. I thought you might want one of these." Niall had ordered Sookie a hamburger with French fries. It wasn't what Sookie would have picked, but she saw Niall had ordered one for himself as well, so she decided to make the best of it. "Why don't you tell us about your day while we eat?" Niall suggested. His fingers moved over his sandwich, cutting it in two, and then delicately setting one half to the side before picking up the other. "We'll consider what to do about your rather surprising gifts later." His eyes flicked toward the door and Sookie realized he was waiting for someone.

Dinner passed. Sookie talked about the sights she'd seen along the trail. Niall smiled when she told them about the ravens. "They told me you spoke with them. How did you know that feeding them would gain their approval?"

"I didn't," Sookie shrugged. "I just figured birds like to eat, I had food, no more complicated than that!"

"You communicate with birds as well?" Claudine hissed.

"And animals, far as I can figure," Sookie offered. "I can't talk with them, if that's what you mean, but we kind of understand each other."

"They have their own languages," Niall confirmed. "It's like our masques. Once you know what to listen for, you can understand them if you have the gift."

"Which you do," Claudine was looking even more worried.

"What is it?" Sookie asked, but she had a sinking feeling she knew the answer already.

"Northman!" Niall interrupted. He rose from his chair and Sookie found herself doing the same. She didn't feel that open happiness that she'd felt before, so she wondered if the tie was already muting, but then she realized the dampened feelings were coming from Eric. He was cautious and he was urging her to be cautious, too. She almost opened her mouth to tell him she understood, but then she closed it with an audible snap.

"Sookie," Eric bowed, after bowing more formally to Niall and greeting Claudine. "You are looking quite lovely," and Sookie realized it was the first time Eric had seen her without her more human face.

"So polite," Niall observed. "I would have thought you would at least embrace your woman. Don't let my presence inhibit you."

"What are you talking about?" Sookie's eyes narrowed.

"She is not mine," Eric's eyes stayed on Niall.

"Tut, tut," Niall smiled agreeably, "No need for secrets among us! You carry each other's scents. You can't think I wouldn't notice."

"A tie," Eric looked uneasy. "I asked for her blood to keep track of her on her journey…"

"And I slipped," Sookie added. "It was an accident."

Niall's eyes flicked between them, reminding Sookie of a cat watching prey. "I see," he said at last, then once more took his seat, inviting Eric to join them. When they were settled, Niall brought Eric up to speed. "Sookie's gifts are prodigious and quite unexpected. I suspect her Grandmother may have had something to do with it, but, of course, now we'll never know." He looked sad, but soon recovered, "So, now that we know she is capable of killing with magic, she can't return to Slievemore and Rogan."

"Hold on!" Sookie's mouth dropped. "Killing? What are you talking about?"

"You pull energy from the dimmest light. You direct it. If you were to push it against a Fae, you would find that the column would consume them. It is ancient, this gift you possess, but it means that once trained, you would be a weapon worth possessing." Niall waited a minute for that to sink in before continuing, "If Breandan were to find out about this, he would tell his Father, and you'd be prisoner in some dark place while Rogan figured out how to force you to use your gifts to his benefit." Niall's eyes were hard. "This 'gift' of yours is more than a pretty trifle. With practice, it will grow. In time, you could be used to destroy armies."

"I would never do that!" Sookie exclaimed. "I'm not destroying anyone. I pull light together…"

"And form a column that has mass and purpose." Niall looked at her as if she was a slow child. "Your Father probably knew what this was and he trained you in the rudiments you would need to master it. I'm sure in the Americas what you formed was relatively small, but here, with the residual magic that lives in all things? Here it is the weapon it was meant to be."

"So, then, I won't use it," Sookie didn't like the direction this was heading. "I won't do it ever again and no one needs to know. I haven't told Breandan and there's no reason I should. I'm engaged, and…"

"To your enemy," Claudine spoke up.

"Breandan isn't my enemy!" Sookie huffed. "Just because…"

"You pity him because you think he loves you." The scorn dripped from Niall's tongue. The King pulled the bread plate forward and spilled his water onto it, creating a shallow pool.

"Don't!" Eric leaned forward, but the Fae King had already waved his hand over the plate.

A picture formed. Sookie didn't want to look, but she found she couldn't turn her eyes away. It was Killary, their cottage. She recognized the bookshelves. She saw Breandan's fiddle, laying on the table. Breandan was on the floor on his hands and knees, and Claude was behind him. She didn't need anyone to tell her. Their movements told the tale. Claude drew her fiancé up and he turned Breandan's head. They kissed and Sookie felt her heart hurt.

"Sookie, remember that you have been thinking of leaving him," Eric said sympathetically. "Pam told me," and when she looked at him, her eyes brimming, he added, "And I felt it." He covered her hand with his own. "Examine your heart, Sookie. Seeing this is more shock than heartbreak. I think, deep down, you knew he wasn't the one for you."

"Still…" and she stood, walking blindly for the door.

"That was cruel!" Eric hissed at Niall, before following Sookie outside.

"You see?" Claudine told her Grandfather as they watched the vampire exit. "He will protect her. He feels compelled."

"Settle the bill," Niall nodded. "I will speak with her. I believe they will both see reason."

Sookie walked across the street to the graveyard that lay beside the Church. This was the place where she'd found the record of her Grandmother's birth. She remembered that day, how happy she'd been. "I thought you were my one," she said out loud, and then, lifting her hand, she removed the ring Breandan gave her.

"I'm sorry Niall did that," Eric was behind her. He stepped closer, and Sookie could feel the comfort he was sending her. "There were other ways you could have found out that would have been kinder."

"You knew?" and Sookie turned, swiping away the quick tear that coursed down her cheek.

"Breandan has been Claude's for as long as I've known them, and that's centuries," Eric nodded. "If it's any consolation, I believe Breandan was sincere in his effort to break with Claude for you, but, in the end, he couldn't."

"Because I wasn't enough," Sookie sighed.

"Because he wasn't enough," Eric corrected her, and pulled her into his arms.

"As I thought," Niall interrupted. Sookie jumped back and Eric let her. She knew her face was burning, and suddenly she wasn't sad, she was furious.

"Was this all just a set up?" she challenged her Grandfather. "Was this all about forcing me dance to your tune, because if it was, you are just fucked up."

"That's enough!" Niall commanded, and Sookie found her voice lost. She clutched at her throat, but no sounds came out.

"Release her," Eric snarled, and Sookie could feel the pressure on her throat ease.

"I can do the same to you, Vampire!" Niall threatened. He turned to Sookie, "I need you to listen to me. You are right. I was cruel, but you needed to know the truth. Without seeing what Breandan Brigant is, you would doubt what I tell you. Your all too-human heart would quibble about promises and nights spent under him, and that would only place you in danger." Niall turned to Eric, "You know that I am speaking the truth. Tell her."

"He doesn't need to tell me anything!" Sookie's chin jutted forward, "I know you can't lie, but why?"

"Would you have believed me in your heart if I told you Slievemore held no future for you?" Niall questioned. "You know Breandan's limitations, but hearing a thing and seeing a thing are different."

Sookie looked again at Breandan's ring. She was holding it in the palm of her hand. "I guess I should send this back," she sniffed. "I was thinking about ending it, Eric's right. I was wondering how we'd live in the same town…"

"You can't go back there," Niall said shortly.

Sookie's mouth dropped open, and then she said, "What are you talking about? My friends are there. My things are there. I…"

"You can't go back," Niall repeated. "This power of yours will become known. You were seen."

"By birds!" Sookie spit out. "By Claudine and Eric. You think they're going to blab?"

"The birds have already. It's why the ravens followed you and they weren't sent by me," Niall waited. Sookie could feel a wariness from Eric, but she wouldn't ask him about it in front of her Fae family.

"You must believe me, Sookie. Rogan will know of your powers by now. If Breandan wasn't distracted… well, Breandan would know as well." Niall waited, watching Sookie with sharp eyes. When she didn't say anything, he said, "I understand this is difficult for you. You have just arrived in this country, just made a new life, and already you are being asked to change, but, that's not unusual for you, is it? You've moved all your life. In fact, weren't you already considering making another move?"

"What do you mean?" Sookie asked.

"Northman tells me you wanted to start your own B&B," and he turned to Eric, "Isn't that what you said?"

Sookie threw a quick look at Eric and answered herself, "I was thinking I'd like to do that."

"Yet you were willing to give it up to make a life with Breandan," and Niall shook his head as though he thought Sookie was selling herself short. It was different emotions Sookie was picking up from Eric now, more annoyance and some slight anger.

"You should be able to follow your dreams," Claudine added as she joined them. "A mate who truly cares for you doesn't ask you to give up the things you truly wish." Sookie had turned to listen to Claudine. She didn't see Niall's knowing smile aimed at Eric.

"I wish I could keep you here in my kingdom," Niall stepped forward, taking Sookie's hand in his. "You are my family. It is my fondest wish that I could keep you here, but it is not possible. As I have told you, there are many here who will hate you because of what you are, and so I must find other ways to protect you," and Niall looked sad. He squeezed her hand hard and when she looked at him, he smiled as he said, "Fortunately, there is such a solution at hand," and he stared at Eric.

"The vampire has told me of his fondness for you…" Sookie felt the blood drain from her face. She could feel Eric's shock and it amplified her own. Niall took her numb hand and grabbing the vampire's hand, he placed her hand in his. "Northman's Queen has a wide territory. It passes between Rogan's kingdom and my own. You walked through it for two days. If you ally yourself with Northman, you will become part of the Unseelie Court. No Fae would dare touch you. Queen Sophie-Ann protects those sworn to her, and our treaties of non-aggression with vampires are of long standing."

Eric seemed to be at a loss for words while Sookie felt as if her feet were cemented to the ground. She swallowed, and then swallowed again before grabbing her hand back as if Eric's was on fire. "What would that mean? Being allied?" she demanded.

"He could declare you His," Niall shrugged.

"Pledging by the knife would be better," Claudine added.

"Pledging…" and Sookie looked at her Grandfather. She could feel Eric behind her, but she didn't trust herself to look at him.

"It's the vampire form of marriage," It was Eric who said it. "It would give you standing and make clear that any who harmed you, even my own people, would face me."

"You are a formidable foe, Sheriff," Niall nodded. "Only someone truly brave or foolhardy would risk facing you in combat."

Claudine was smiling at Sookie, "There are many lovely places in Sophie-Ann's kingdom, and the trail wanders through it at two different points. The return trail runs right along the sea. I seem to recall you liked being on the ocean. It would be a perfect place for your B&B. You could finally have your home and with the laws that govern the vampires, and the strength of the Unseelie, you could live a long and happy life there."

"Marriage?" Sookie whispered.

"A vampire marriage," Niall confirmed. "You could train. I could help you and once you are capable of defending yourself and your reputation is established, after a year or so, you can divorce him." He looked at Eric, "It's rather easy to do, isn't it? You each cut your hand with your pledging knife and declare your union dissolved. Isn't that it?"

"She doesn't want to marry me," Eric said shortly.

"I think you're selling yourself short, Northman," Niall chuckled. "She is just as interested in you as you are in her."

"Why would I do this?" Sookie felt as if her head was spinning. Nothing was making sense.

"Because it's the easiest way for you to get your freedom, your safety, and everything you want," Claudine shrugged.

Sookie turned to Eric, "But you can't want this. This is crazy!"

"You could return to America," Eric told her.

Claudine and Niall both turned to look at Sookie. "But I don't want to go back there," Sookie told them. "There's nothing for me in America."

"And, as we've seen, trouble could just as easily follow her there and no one would be close enough to protect her. No, it would be better if Sookie stayed here," Niall added. "I know you probably don't believe it, Granddaughter, but I do wish you well. Were my people ready to accept the inevitable, that we must mate with other species or fade from all worlds, you would have a place of honor in my own house. You would have my acknowledgement and all I could give you." He looked fondly at Claudine, "Although you might find that being within this family has its own troubles."

"What I can do for you is advocate for your happiness." The King looked at Eric, "The vampire does care for you. He may not have told you, but he is fond of you, enough that he is willing to defy me and plot ways to stay close to you."

Sookie glanced at Eric, but Eric remained staring at Niall. "I trust him, Sookie," Niall continued. "He is an honorable man. He would have pursued you earlier, but I commanded him to let you go. I interfered," and he nodded to Eric. "I confess to you, Northman, I was wrong. I believed Sookie would be safest remaining in Rogan's realm, even though I knew my brother saw her as a hostage, not some future daughter."

"Hostage?" Sookie whispered.

"You should know, I have been paying Rogan blackmail money, Sookie, tribute," Niall told her.

"Because I am so terrible?" Sookie stammered.

"Because you are so precious," Niall corrected and he smiled, cupping her cheek. "You told Claudine you were happy with Breandan. Rogan had every reason to keep you content living in his land. Paying my brother and listening to his crowing seemed a small price to pay for knowing you were well and content."

"And now my magic changes that?" and Sookie found the air seemed heavy.

"You are a force," Niall nodded. "You have a gift that can be used in times of war. It is a gift that can create mischief in times of peace as well. The vampire is a worthy protector. You are fond of him and you've exchanged blood. What could be better? And," and Niall leaned forward to kiss Sookie's cheek, "It doesn't have to be permanent. You don't have to stay married. Vampires are practical like that."

"Even the Selkies will have to honor a union with the Northman," Claudine was grinning like this was the happiest news. "They will honor the laws of the Unseelie, even if that means breaking with Rogan, for all they have some distant shared relation."

"The best of solutions!" and Niall looked positively exuberant.

Sookie felt all the energy drain from her. "I'd like to go back to the B&B," she told Eric.

"I'll take you," he replied and stepped forward, placing his hand on her arm.

"Think about it," Niall urged his Granddaughter. "Talk about it together. Northman knows the ways of our world. I think you'll find that this solution works best for both of you."

Sookie didn't know what to say. Eric's hand had dropped from her arm and he walked, equally silent, behind her.

When they got to the door, Sookie stopped. There was a bench sitting outside and although the breeze was cool, she sat down. Eric sat beside her and after a minute, he reached over and took her hand.

Sookie sighed. Touching Eric, feeling his emotions, realizing he was unsettled, made her feel better. "Are you thinking about this?" she asked.

Eric's mouth twitched and he answered, "Are you?"

Sookie couldn't help it. She smiled. She could feel Eric's odd sense of humor, the one that matched her own. "This feels like something out of one of my crazy romance novels," she sighed.

"Oh?" and Eric turned to her. "And what happens next? Do I sweep you into my arms and you swoon?"

"I don't think I've ever swooned," and Sookie rolled her eyes.

"I don't know," Eric drawled, "I think you'd make a great swooner. You might even find that swooning becomes your favorite thing," and he waggled his eyebrows.

Sookie laughed and she did feel better. Eric brought his arm around her and Sookie snuggled against him. "Do you think I'm really in danger?" she asked.

"Yes, Älskare," Eric said solemnly. "Breandan won't want to hurt you, but Rogan will be angry and it will suit Claude's purpose." Eric settled a little, moving Sookie closer. "Claude is cruel and he enjoys hurting people. He is attached to Breandan, as much as a creature like him can be attached to anyone. Even if Breandan didn't care for you, Claude would still be jealous, which would compel him to make sure you suffered."

"Sticks and stones, Eric!" Sookie shrugged. "They were nasty to me at The Grand. That Mae…"

"Did you know Mae was Breandan's wife?" Eric asked.

Sookie stilled. She had figured it out, but hearing it confirmed caused her to feel a small pinch to her heart. "I do now," she nodded, and then, embarrassed at how small her voice had become, Sookie took a breath, lifted her chin, and added, "Breandan told me, well, kind of."

"And did you know Rogan killed her?"

Now Sookie did still. The cold spot that had found her heart seemed to spread throughout her body and she shivered. The breeze, which was tolerable enough a few minutes ago, became chilly, and Sookie straightened. "I think I should go inside," she announced.

"There is more to discuss," Eric persisted.

It would be easy to run away, telling Eric they could talk about it later. Sookie wanted time to think over what Eric had just told her, how that changed her opinion of Rogan and the peril she faced, but she knew that wasn't the wise move. "There's a sitting room downstairs," she replied. "We can talk inside."

"It would be more private if we spoke in your room," Eric persisted.

Biting her lip, Sookie nodded, and together they climbed the stairs. Eric glanced at the bed and then seated himself, leaning against the headboard. He lifted the blankets and said, "Get under the blankets and warm up." Sookie slipped off her shoes and did just that. Eric got up, grabbed the extra blanket from the closet, and wrapped it around Sookie's shoulders before resuming his place on the bed and pulling her close to him. When she shifted enough to be comfortable, Eric sighed, "I like this."

Eric stroked her head with one hand, while holding her hand against his chest. Sookie marveled at how being like this calmed her enough to ask her next question. "Did he really kill Mae?"

"Yes," Eric was calm. She could sense that he was both amused and waiting. Sookie realized Eric knew she would have more questions, and the fact that he 'got' her made her like the vampire more.

Sitting up a little, Sookie asked, "Why would he do that?"

"From what I've heard, Rogan was enraged when Mae's petty cruelty drove you from The Grand. He meant her to be both your warden and a reminder to Breandan not to become too attached to you." Eric's thumb brushed over the hand that Sookie was resting on his chest. "Rogan's temper is known to run hot. I'm sure Mae's relatives are demanding retribution, although her purpose was to provide an heir and she failed."

"If Rogan's so dangerous, why did my Grandfather send me back the first time?" Sookie asked.

"For all the reasons he gave you," Eric shrugged. "He believed Breandan and Slievemore were the best of bad choices, and I'm sure your happiness was a factor."

"And now he doesn't believe that," Sookie said sadly.

"No one knew about your magic, Sookie. Now we do, and, although others won't know the strength of your power, they will know you are in possession of something special. You must believe that Rogan will hesitate at nothing to force you to his will," Eric told her. "He hates Niall, but he lusts for power and approval more. And Breandan? Breandan is a pale reflection of his Father. He will do things to you to please his Father, unpleasant things, torture. You understand that, don't you?"

Sookie nodded, but when she didn't say anything else, Eric continued, "I can feel your sadness. Do you still love him very much?"

It surprised Sookie how quickly the tears sprang to her eyes, "I thought I did," she nodded. Shifting, she pulled the ring from her pocket. It was so beautiful, sparkling and perfect in her hand. "I wanted to," she confessed. Glancing up, she asked, "Could you return this to him?" and she held out the ring.

Eric nodded, "I will see that it's returned."

"Are we really considering going through with this pledging thing?" Sookie asked as she brushed a single tear from her cheek.

"I have been thinking on it," Eric wasn't looking at her. "I believe it would be the best move under these circumstances."

"Because getting pledged to you will protect me?" Sookie's voice was small again. Eric tucked the ring in his pants pocket and then pulled her close again.

"It is a practical solution on many levels," Eric replied. "I have standing in my Queen's Court. If you were my mate, to injure or abduct you would cause a war." He chuckled, "Niall was right. I do have a reputation and that will encourage our kind to give you a wide berth."

"But…marriage…vampire marriage… How does that work?" Sookie couldn't believe she was asking.

"The ceremony or after?" and Sookie felt Eric's uneasiness returning.

"The ceremony, after… All of it," and Sookie waited, staring into the room.

"The ceremony is simple," Eric shifted, putting his arm in back of his head. Sookie could feel a certain unsettled feeling coming from him, and it made her wonder how sure he really was about all this. "There is a knife, a ceremonial knife. You hand it to me in front of witnesses and I kiss the blade."

When he didn't say any more, Sookie asked, "That's it?"

"Sometimes couples will add a blood exchange," Eric shrugged. "We won't, of course."

"And after?" Sookie could feel Eric shifting into something she interpreted as thinking mode. It wasn't exactly pleasant, but it wasn't uncomfortable either, more like a low level electrical hum.

"I have a safe house in a town called Ballytyne. It's not far from the Queen's fort. It would be safest if we both lived there for a while, at least until news travels and things settle down."

"You think there'll be trouble?" Sookie asked.

"With you, Älskare?" Eric grinned down at her, "Always! You were made for trouble."

"What will I do there at your safe house?" Sookie asked. The question was directed as much to herself as it was to Eric.

"Do?" and then Eric nodded, "The house is much like any other house. It will be equipped with technology, Internet. I suppose you think it's some crypt. There is a place within its walls where I rest, but, other than that, it's a regular house. It you wish, I can place your name on the deed, and then it will be yours as well. You can use your time to do the same things you would do any other place you call your home. You can look for a suitable place to start your business. You can correspond with your friends. The townspeople are pleasant. You can find a job if that will amuse you."

"I don't want hand-outs," Sookie bit out, then realizing how rude she sounded, mumbled, "Sorry." Taking a breath, she asked, "And what about you? What would this mean for your pub in Slievemore?"

Eric shrugged, but Sookie could tell he wasn't as nonchalant as he was trying to appear, "I will make arrangements. Rogan may be willing to let it remain open under different management, or I may have to sell it."

"Pam told me you have another place in Rogan's kingdom as well. And what about all the people who work for you? They'd lose their jobs and you'd lose a lot of money by doing this." Sookie felt terrible, "Why would you even consider it?"

"Perhaps it's because I don't like Rogan," Eric smirked, "Or perhaps it's because I want Niall to owe me a favor," and he shifted until he was turned more toward her, "Or perhaps it's because I want you closer to me," and Eric leaned down and kissed her.

Sookie shouldn't have, but she did return the kiss. Her lips grew soft under his and she readily opened to his tongue, jousting and nipping. His hand strayed toward her chest and then pulled back, impeded by the layers of blanket wrapped around her. "You see?" he laughed. "Trouble!"

Sookie sighed and settled back against him, her head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her as she asked, "Have you ever been married before?"

"Pledged? No," and he shook his head, "not in my vampire form."

"But you were?" and Sookie waited.

Eric sighed, "It was another time, Sookie. I married my brother's wife after he died. Her family's alliance and her dowry were too important. She was older than me. It was how things were done."

"What happened to her?" Sookie realized how little she really knew about Eric and it started to make her nervous.

"I don't know," he said simply. "I was taken by my Maker, and I never saw her or my children again." Eric pulled Sookie's head back so he could look into her eyes, "It was a different time. Things among the Fae, among vampires, were different."

"And in all this time, you never found someone else you wanted to pledge yourself to?" Sookie persisted.

"No," and he grinned, shaking his head. "When I take you before the Queen, you will be a surprise."

"Why?" and then Sookie sighed, "Never mind! When do you think we should do this?"

"Questions!" and Eric threw his head back, but Sookie could tell he wasn't really irritated. After a minute, and more of those low level electrical feelings, he said, "Tomorrow night would be best. There is no reason to delay."

"Tomorrow night?" and things started to feel very real. There were a million questions reeling around in her head, but the only one that made it out of her was, "What would I wear?"

"Ever practical!" Eric smirked and, in a move that felt more intimate, he kissed her forehead, resting his own against hers. "The dress you have on is perfectly acceptable. Frankly, I think you could wear your hiking pants and no one would comment."

Sookie was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen, and she told him so. "So, should I just walk back?" she asked.

"It would be better if you weren't alone on the road from now on," Eric told her. "Stay here tomorrow. It's your Grandfather's territory. No one will bother you. I will come for you tomorrow at sunset and fly you back."

"There goes my vacation," Sookie chuckled, trying to make light of the situation.

"Look at it this way," Eric shrugged, "You lose a vacation and gain a husband."

Sookie was sure he meant to be funny, but she was feeling something more akin to panic. "Is that what I'd call you?" she stammered.

"Of course," and Eric sat up, making sure she could see his face. "We would be mated, pledged. I would be your husband. You would be my wife."

He said it so calmly, but Sookie wasn't feeling calm. She felt first Eric's concern, and then his overt effort to send her confidence. It wasn't helping, "Cut it out!" she sat up herself, pushing the blankets down, feeling all too trapped by everything. "This… I mean…" and Sookie started to hyperventilate.

"You don't want me?" Eric's brows drew together.

"No! I mean, yes! I mean… This is going really fast." Eric's head cocked to the side and Sookie was pretty sure he was analyzing her emotional state.

"It is overwhelming," he nodded. He leaned back and put his arm around her, pulling her to him again. Sookie resisted, and then she didn't. "There," he soothed her. "Just let the idea settle. You will have more questions," and he chuckled, "Many more questions, and we will find the answers together until you are satisfied."

"You really aren't worried about this?" Sookie couldn't help it. Eric's easy acceptance was making her own acceptance easier.

"No," Eric laughed. "I find that I like the idea. It was unexpected for me, too, but I like you, and our being pledged would be agreeable."

"And your Queen? She isn't going to have a problem with you being pledged to me?" Sookie hadn't realized until this moment how the Fae's reaction to her being a hybrid had affected her. She wasn't sure if she could stand being treated as an inferior by another group of Supernaturals.

Eric wasn't feeling so settled now either, and Sookie was sure her worst fears were realized, but then he said, "She will be curious. As I said, I have resisted pledging in past. Understand that I owe her my fealty, but I am also much older than she is. While she may wonder, she won't challenge my choice." Eric smirked, "I placed her on her throne. If she is smart, she will be happy there is another reason to keep me here and working for her."

"So, my being…you know," and Sookie couldn't finish.

"Not full Fae?" Eric guessed. "I will make sure Niall acknowledges you to Sophie-Ann. She may think I'm marrying above myself, but my willingness to stay here may stop her from being too suspicious of my motives."

"Feast or famine!" Sookie exclaimed. "Either I'm not good enough, or I'm too good?"

"You are just right," and Eric pulled Sookie closer. "Are you finished with your questions for now? The night is passing and there is much to do."

"I guess," Sookie sniffed.

"Then, I will leave you for now. I will return at first dark. Be prepared to leave. Sophie-Ann holds her Court early, so she can spend the remainder of the night hours playing with her children. It's best to pledge with her as our witness, then no one can dispute it." Eric had risen from the bed and started straightening his clothes as he spoke.

"You're sure about this?" Sookie asked again. It was occurring to her that she'd be living with Eric and he'd be calling her his wife, and there was a rather large elephant in the room they were both avoiding.

Eric squinted at her, "What is it?" he asked, and Sookie smiled to think that it was the vampire's turn to ask a question.

"I guess I just don't want you to feel forced into this," Sookie fumbled.

He moved so quickly she didn't realize she was in his arms until she was. "No one forces me," he whispered against her lips. "I told you, I am happy with this. And you, Sookie? Do you want me?"

And there it was. Sookie's mouth dropped open and Eric took it as an invitation. His mouth slanted over hers and, despite of the slight chill of his mouth, Sookie felt her blood rush, warming her all over. She moaned and he took that as further invitation, his arms snaking around her, freeing her from blankets and pulling her closer. He drew his head back and she was pretty sure she looked like she wanted him a whole lot. "Do you?" he asked, squeezing her chest against his.

"Uh," Sookie stuttered, and Eric loosened his grip, allowing her boneless body to drop back on the bed.

"The correct answer is, 'I do,'" he teased, and then kissing the end her nose, Eric Northman was gone.


	26. Chapter 25 - Bound

**Chapter 24 – Bound**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

After he left Sookie, Eric felt giddy. It was not something he'd experienced in a long time and he quickly recovered. The miles between Carreigh and Ballytyne stretched, so he used the time to make calls. His first was to Niall.

"So, you have both agreed?" the King asked.

"Yes," Eric paused. It was a single word and yet, it felt as though he had said more. ' _Focus!_ ' the vampire warned himself.

"I am pleased you both saw the wisdom of my suggestion," Niall was saying. "I assume you will conclude your arrangements quickly?"

"We complete the pledging tomorrow night," Eric confirmed. "There is something else, something I wish you to do."

The King was immediately suspicious, "What?"

"I want you to call the Queen tonight and tell her that Sookie is of your family," Eric knew Niall wouldn't want to do it, so he gave his explanation. "Of course, you must ask her to keep secret the story of Sookie's lineage. Sophie-Ann will be happy to agree. She's anxious to have you owe her a favor. If she knows Sookie has your protection, it may prevent her from considering any mischief."

"You believe your Queen will cause my Granddaughter trouble?" Niall asked.

"She may take offense I chose Sookie as my mate after I refused her offers," Eric sighed. The last time Sophie-Ann formally asked was many years ago, although she still made a habit of hinting at it whenever she saw him.

"I am curious, Northman. A royal consort is an honorable position. Why refuse her?" Niall asked. Sophie-Ann's interest in the Viking was widely known, as was the Viking's steadfast refusal. It was a piece of gossip that reflected poorly on the Queen, which Niall was sure stung Sophie-Ann's tender pride.

"I have no interest in politics," Eric explained. "Being Sheriff of my own Area is enough. Sophie-Anne would insist on my being involved in her intrigues and entanglements."

"Of course, taking Sookie's side against Rogan will drag you into both intrigue and entanglement. What's changed your opinion?" Niall pressed.

"I like your Granddaughter," Eric said lightly. "She's appealing, in many ways. She didn't ask for her circumstances and I find the idea of helping someone who so selflessly helps others suits me. In time, Sookie will outgrow me and by then, her troubles will have died down. She'll divorce me and move on to someone better suited, then I'll continue on my way."

"And what if that doesn't happen?" Niall asked. "What if she chooses to remain with you?" Niall's voice was light, but Eric wasn't fooled.

"Your Granddaughter is human," Eric answered. "Regardless of emotions, her time is limited. Unless there's something I don't know, she will suffer the fate of every human. She will age and wither, as her Mother and Grandmother did before her." Eric paused before adding, "If she should attach herself to me, it wouldn't be a hardship to remain with her until she passes." It was a concession he'd never offered before but, somehow, when he thought of Sookie and her cleverness, it was easy to allow.

"That is very kind of you," Niall sounded surprised. "With Sookie's immunity to glamour, you wouldn't be able to confuse her or hide her memory of you when she is too old to be seen by your side. Her Fae nature will prevent her from failing, like other humans who lose their Fae mate. If she were to become attached and you left her, she would be forced to live with her regret. It could be a hardship for her. You make a generous offer."

"If only she were a little more supernatural," The words were out of Eric's mouth before he knew it. "It is of no consequence," he covered, "What is important is what must happen now. We will pledge and you will help Sophie-Ann understand Sookie's connection to you. It will give Sookie more standing among us. That, along with being linked to me, should assure her safety. You'll do it?"

"Of course," Niall agreed. "I trust your Queen to be discrete. Sookie's connection to me probably won't stay a secret long anyway. As soon as word of your pledging gets out, Rogan will be furious. I expect he will tell any and all of Sookie's parentage as a way to get back at us! By the time his anger cools, there won't be a sprite or leprechaun in all of Ireland who won't know of her mixed heritage."

"I will protect her," Eric assured the King. "She will be Unseelie, which will guarantee that any move against her by a Seelie will be met with war. What's more, as the mate of a vampire, she will no longer be able to claim any status as one of you. Her fall from grace will be complete."

"It is foolish," Niall sighed. "There will be those who will sneer because she is a hybrid, but there will be more who will sneer at her for lying with a ghoul. What a small-minded species we have become!"

"She will live in my home in Ballytyne," Eric continued. "If we find we are attracting too much attention, I could resign my post as Sheriff. We could retire to the countryside. Given time, who knows? We could become just another part of the landscape. We will fade like other Unseelie, becoming small and insignificant!" Eric chuckled and Niall joined him.

"How we underestimate you!" The Fae King agreed. "We forget the magics you hold may not be as bright, but still have their effect." After a moment, Niall said, "I am grateful to you, Northman, for agreeing to keep her here. It makes me happy to be able to see her. She is so like Adele."

"But unlike Adele, Sookie's magic is 'bright,'" Eric reminded the King. "She needs training, soon if she is to be able to function in our world. Is that something you have arranged?"

"Since you are planning to keep my Granddaughter in your Queen's territory, I must insist on being able to visit without prior approval," Niall said. "Our first task will be to teach her to mask her scent, then I will undertake training her to control her magic myself."

The thought of a life in the country with Sookie had taken root. Eric thought of how right she felt pressed against him. He thought of how just talking with her made him happy. "She would make a magnificent vampire!" he said out loud.

"No!" Niall barked.

It startled Eric. He hadn't meant to speak his thoughts out loud and now, Niall knew. "Sookie is her own person," Eric growled, angrier with himself than anyone else. He took an unnecessary breath before adding, "If she did choose to join me, I promise you, it would be her decision."

Niall didn't say anything, but Eric's mind raced. He thought of why he was pledging to Sookie and the dangers she faced and he spoke again. "As much as I will try to protect her, she is in peril. I would give her a choice in becoming vampire, but what if your enemies find her before she is ready to defend herself? It isn't my association that puts Sookie in danger! Every day she is surrounded by more intrigue and more enemies that could destroy her. She is unique, Niall. If she were dying, would you still object to my saving her? You know me. She would be safe as my child!"

"You love her!" Niall realized it was as Claudine said and more. Eric had admitted before to wanting to claim Sookie, but fighting to keep her for eternity took the nature of his interest to a different level. Eric had told Niall he turned Pam at a time he was lonely, but Niall knew Eric wasn't lonely now.

"I no longer have the luxury of loving," Eric sniffed. "I am very fond of her. She has a startling number of questions," and the thought of the two of them sitting on the bed in her room earlier, her pelting him with her endless need to know, made the vampire chuckle. "It is rare to find another creature who shares my restless curiosity for all things."

"As you said, Sookie is unique," Niall said thoughtfully. "I am glad to hear that you appreciate it. I suspect you will be well mated." The vampire made a sound and Niall almost laughed. "I will send Claudine to her today. She will start Sookie's lessons in dampening her scent. If my Granddaughter is going to make her life among your kind, she will need that skill sooner rather than later. I have no doubt that someone in possession of her degree of magic can learn but, if she can't, I will personally pay to have her scent suppressed."

"I thank you," Eric agreed. "It will make her life among us easier."

"What time will you be picking Sookie up from Carreigh?" Niall asked.

"I won't," Eric told the Fae. He had planned on doing it, but the direction of this conversation had shaken him. "I will have Pam go. She will bring Sookie to Court. I will rise in my home in Ballytyne," ' _Our home_ ,' a voice in Eric's head whispered. "There are preparations needed to be made."

"I wish you well, vampire." Niall was chuckling. "Call me when you are ready to receive visitors. I will want to congratulate you and bestow my blessing, but I wouldn't dream of intruding on your private time together," and the line disconnected.

Niall's teasing was easily dismissed. The King was Fae. It was the way of the Fae to be annoying.

Eric's next call was to his Queen. It was Andre, the Queen's Second and favored child, who answered. "Sheriff Northman!" he purred. "Decided to come and join our nest at last? I was thinking about your lovely assets. We have been playing and having you're here and naked would be a welcome addition."

"You are kind to think so," Eric replied dryly, "but no. I was calling to tell you I will be appearing before the Queen's Court tomorrow night with some business."

"Official business?" Andre's tone shifted. "I will alert the guards. I assume Pam will be coming as well."

'Official business' meant Eric was bringing prisoners; those who had perpetrated the most serious infractions. Most violators of vampire law were taken to a local Assizes Court. Sophie-Ann had six different magistrates who presided over territories, ranging from Scotland to Ireland and all places in between. Most of the law-breakers Eric arrested were taken to these Courts. They paid fines or were sentenced to minor torture, and then were released to continue their existences, sadder but (hopefully) wiser. It was only those who were truly dangerous or who flouted the most important rules who found themselves delivered to the justice of Sophie-Ann LeClerq. These were the blood sellers or contract killers. Had the pair that tried to kill Eric at Ghoul's Kiss survived, they would have found themselves trembling before the Queen's throne.

These wrong-doers were guaranteed torture, which was often lengthy and inventive. The final death was a sentence reserved for Sophie-Ann and she meted it out with some regularity. Anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves delivered to the Queen's justice would be at their most dangerous, and so having guards take possession of them until sentence was passed was standard practice.

"Not official," Eric said lightly. "Pam is coming, but this is a personal matter."

Eric knew that the Queen's Second would make the assumption, and Andre proved the Sheriff right when he exclaimed, "Oh!" and then laughed. "Sophie-Ann will be delighted!"

"It's not what your Queen anticipates," Eric said levelly. "It's something else. I'll be there early. I don't wish to interfere with my Queen's evening plans."

"Now I am curious," Andre sniffed. "No hint?"

"It's not that important," Eric assured the Second. "Just something I'd rather she knew."

"Oh," and Eric could hear Andre's interest drop off entirely, so much so that Eric wondered if Andre would even mention he was coming to see the Queen.

Once the call concluded, Eric checked his watch. There was still plenty of time before dawn.

He texted his new Dayman, Bobby Burnham, making arrangements for the house in Ballytyne to be opened. At the last minute, he remembered to add groceries to the supplies that would be laid in. ' _I will be taking up permanent residence_ ,' he texted Burnham. ' _Reinstate all the services. Include provisions for a human female_.'

Eric deliberately chose not to call. His instructions were guaranteed to launch an inquisition from his Dayman. As it was, Eric was sure he would receive at least one improper text from Burnham, questioning things in an unnecessary way. His assistant was proficient, but too protective.

Eric knew Bobby wished to be turned and he'd stop at nothing to prove his value. As a result, Burnham was almost pathologically jealous of anyone he felt was too close to Eric. He would pander and fawn to his Master, but that pandering didn't extend to Eric's playmates. Eric found himself imagining the inevitable confrontation between Sookie and Bobby and he couldn't stop laughing, knowing the hybrid had more than enough sass to put his Dayman in his place.

It was well past midnight when he called Pam.

"Well, fuck a zombie!" she exclaimed once he told her of his plans.

"You like Sookie," Eric reminded her.

"I like lots of people," Pam replied, "I don't expect them to pledge to my Maker!"

"I didn't think you'd have a problem." Eric was surprised. He'd assumed his progeny would have no objections. He knew Pam considered Sookie a friend.

"I don't have a problem with it," Pam set him straight, "I'm just surprised at how quickly you moved. Not like I didn't see this coming, but I figured there would be another couple rounds of dancing and prancing before you claimed her." Then Pam laughed, "Oh! I can't wait to see Rogan's face! He's going to pop a blood vessel!"

"It may be best if you close the Kiss for a couple nights and stay with me. I don't think the Fae will do anything direct, but best not to present a target until we know how Rogan will react." Eric thought about it, then added, "Close the place in Carrack, too. Post that it's a family emergency. Keep everyone on pay though, and let's see how this plays out."

"Thank goodness we opened the third place south in Niall's kingdom!" It was the pub Clancy was running.

"Yes, it is good," Eric agreed. It wasn't that the vampire needed the money, but, in this world, credit was convenient and human banks didn't like to extend credit to those whose businesses weren't succeeding.

"So, my Maker is pledging!" Eric could hear the smirk in Pam's voice. "And won't Sophie-Ann be thrilled? How many times has she begged you to pledge to her?"

"Niall will call the Queen and let her know that Sookie is his family," Eric answered, ignoring Pam's question.

"What?" and Eric could hear Pam's concern, "Are you seriously going to let Sophie-Anne think you're doing this to gain Niall's favor? Eric! That's not a smart move! She may be a Queen, but Sophie-Ann has a childish streak a mile wide! She'll say something to Sookie or do something to make you pay! You know she will!"

Eric did his best to ignore his daughter's concern, "The Queen won't like it," Eric acknowledged, "but she won't endanger our alliance with Niall Brigant by doing something stupid about a person who's only here temporarily. Sookie is mortal! I'll remind the Queen of that fact if I must." Eric found himself recalling his earlier comments to Niall, but he didn't think mentioning his new-found interest in turning Sookie something he wanted to share with Pam. He was sure once he did, she would tease him unmercifully, but, he wasn't ready to consider what his feelings might mean, so he covered by saying, "It won't be the first time. I have taken human females under my protection before."

"You didn't pledge yourself to them," Pam reminded him. "There is a difference!"

"She is vulnerable," Eric said reasonably. "She is a hybrid related to one of our allies. Sophie-Ann will understand."

"So, is that what you're telling yourself?" Pam asked. "That this is some kind of mercy move on your part?"

"What do you mean?" Eric was sure his reasoning was sound, but he didn't need to be reminded by his progeny. Yes, he desired Sookie. She kissed well and felt right in his arms, but, as he'd already said earlier to Niall, this wasn't about anything more than doing the right thing.

"What you feel for her is beyond attraction…" Pam was winding up.

"The night is drawing on," Eric interrupted. "I want you to pick up Sookie from Carreigh tomorrow and bring her to Court. I will be busy making sure all is ready in Ballytyne. It's been decades since I've used it as a private residence and there is testing that needs to be done, security, cable."

"Yeah, wouldn't want to jinx anything by seeing the bride the night before the ceremony, right?" Pam laughed.

Eric felt a strange flutter where his heart should have been, which was why his tone might have been a little sharper than he felt, "I have always appreciated your sense of humor, Pamela, but now is not the time! Secure our holdings. You are welcome to stay in my home here until things are safe. Make sure those under our protection in Rogan's areas are alerted. It shouldn't take longer than a week, maybe two, for this to resolve."

"Long enough for a proper honeymoon," Pam laughed. "Where are you taking her? Sweden isn't far and it's cold enough there to justify staying in bed. Maybe you're thinking clothing optional at your Barbados house? Or is that what you're doing in Ballytyne? Covering everything in rose petals?"

"I'm sure Sookie doesn't expect anything like that," Eric snapped, but Pam's words made him feel uneasy.

"I think every woman expects that when she marries," Pam was more serious now. "Eric, you zeroed in on her from the moment you saw her. She's been the same. Even when she's avoiding you or you're reminding yourself she belongs to someone else, you circle each other. The more you say it's not about emotion, the more I know it is! Don't do something or say something that damages how good you could be together. She makes you happier than I've seen you in a long time. She makes you laugh. That is rare and you know it!"

"Thank you, Pam," Eric said sincerely. "I will consider what you are saying. You are my best in all things." It was a compliment they shared. Of all the creatures he'd met over his long existence, Pam was the only one Eric Northman had wanted to turn, at least until now. He opened the bond between them, willing her to feel his pride across the space that separated them.

"I love you, too, my Maker," Pam purred, "but we may have to change our vocabulary! I wouldn't want your wife to get the wrong idea about us! You're going to have to learn to speak married!"

"Pledging won't change anything, much less how things are between us," Eric scoffed.

"You go ahead and believe that!" Pam cautioned, but Eric was sure she was wrong.

After she disconnected, Pam looked at Maryann. "I'm sure you followed that."

"He's marrying Sookie," Maryann nodded. "Well, thank goodness!"

Pam gave her lover a stern look, "I didn't expect you to be too pleased about this."

"Why not?" Maryann shrugged. "I told Sookie before she left that marrying Breandan would be a mistake." Pam stared until Maryann stared back, "What?" When Pam continued to stare, Maryann shook her head, "It's like I told Sookie, I can't explain it. I was supporting Breandan even though I didn't believe it. It was as though…" and she stared at the ceiling, "as though someone else was inside me, speaking those words."

"You were glamoured," Pam said carefully.

"Glamoured? You're sure?" Pam had explained the concept to Maryann.

"And it's worn off," Pam nodded. "Had to be Breandan or Claude."

"Why do you say that?" Maryann's face was flushed and Pam could see the idea that her mind had been played with didn't sit well.

Pam laid her hand on Maryann's cheek and then kissed her. "Because, my darling girl, when a vampire glamours you, it sticks. Seelie can't glamour for shit." Maryann huffed, letting her anger go before rolling over to lay her head on Pam's shoulder.

"All the more reason for Sookie to marry someone else," Maryann concluded, "So Eric had better do right by our girl. Him letting her believe he's marrying her any other reason than love isn't a good start."

"It's bullshit!" Pam nodded. "Total bullshit, and, if he isn't careful, he's going to hurt her enough that she won't give him a second chance."

"Our girl is in an interesting place," Maryann agreed. "Her heart's been knocked about pretty well over the past year. A few more knocks and that stubborn streak of hers will convince her love is over-rated."

"Like you?" Pam teased. She stroked Maryann's breast and kissed her. "You were pretty flinty at first."

"You found your way through my defenses fairly easily," Maryann laughed.

"I knew what I wanted," Pam assured her Lover. "I wish my poor deluded Maker could see things as clearly!"

"I can hear your wheels turning," Maryann sighed and got up. "What do you intend to do?"

"You have keys to Sookie's apartment?" Pam asked. "We can start tomorrow night. No way are we going to let them stand there like strangers in front of City Hall. Our girl is going to look the part, so we need to know sizes!"

"Dress size is easy," Maryann laughed. "She and I wear the same, and…" Maryann walked to her closet and pulled out a clothes bag, "I think I have the right weapon!"

It was an ice-blue, silk, sheath dress. "Falls right to the knee and hugs all the curves. Sookie's a little bigger across the chest, but tugging there could actually work."

"You sure you won't mind giving it up?" Pam asked, her fingers rubbing the richness of the fabric.

Maryann chuckled. "It feels like a dream and it's a perfect match for Sookie's coloring. I bought it a million years ago for a wedding I ended up missing. It's been waiting ever since for its chance to come out and play. I can't think of a better cause!"

"So, we're down to accessories!" They dressed and walked across the way, letting themselves into Sookie's apartment.

Together, they pulled out shoes and checked what jewelry there was to be found. "She wears my size shoe and thank goodness!" Pam exclaimed. "I am going to have to talk to Sookie about her fashion sense!" She dropped another pair of sensible flats to the closet floor. "I hope she can walk in heels."

"She has no jewelry at all," Maryann noticed.

"Well," and Pam smiled, "I know two things!" She pulled out her phone. "First, a girl deserves a ring, so I'm texting the Bashful Bridegroom right now to remind him! Second, if you want good jewels," Pam pushed a few more buttons, then held the phone to her ear, "Call the Fae!"

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"I won't be continuing my hike," Sookie told her landlady. "Is it okay if I stick around here today? Someone is coming to pick me up tonight."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" her hostess replied. She'd just brought Sookie her poached eggs. "Was the walking just too much?"

"No, it's not that. I feel fine," Sookie explained, "It's just that something else came up." Sookie wasn't sure how else to describe it.

' _I've decided to enter an arranged marriage_.' Sookie supposed that was one way to say it. ' _I've broken it off with the man I thought I'd marry so I can marry one I hardly know_.' That sounded even worse. In fact, from the moment Eric left, Sookie had been grinding on it. She couldn't understand what had happened to her good common sense.

She hadn't been drinking that much last night. She didn't think she'd suffered a mental lapse. There was nothing to explain the crazy impulse that made her agree to what she was doing. ' _It's sure not like you!"_ she told herself.

Still, when she thought of lying on the bed, Eric's arms around her, it felt right. Sookie was more comfortable just being with the vampire than she'd felt in a long time with Breandan. ' _Maybe I'm wrong about Eric_ ,' she thought. ' _Maybe I just think I'm happy with him and it'll wear off, like it did with Breandan_.' She did feel she'd made a mistake when it came to the Fae and the thought that she might have married Breandan Brigant despite her intuition shook her confidence.

' _What is your inner voice telling you now?_ ' she thought, staring out the window.

"There's no problem with you staying," her hostess was telling her. "You can stay the rest of the week if you'd like!"

Sookie finished her breakfast and headed out the front door. The sun was out, but the light had a weak, watery feel to it. Almost feeling as if she was chasing sunbeams, Sookie headed across the street to sit on a bench in the church yard, the one that looked out over the small graveyard flowing down the hill.

"What were you thinking?" she asked herself out loud.

"You're thinking of doing what's right by everyone," Claudine answered.

Sookie jumped, her heart hammering in her chest. She whipped around to see her cousin standing directly behind her. Sookie had barely slept last night, her mind a whirl as she tossed and turned. It left her feeling fragile with a thin headache forming between her eyebrows.

"I've come to teach you how to keep yourself from becoming vampire kibble," Claudine smiled.

The Fae walked around so she could sit on the bench beside Sookie. She peered at her and then she asked, "So, are you ready?" When Sookie just stared blankly, Claudine clarified by saying, "For the pledging! Your vampire contacted Niall last night, demanding he privately acknowledge you to the vampire Queen. I'm told you're headed to Sophie-Ann's Court later to… you know… make it official."

"I don't know if I'd call him 'my' vampire," Sookie answered. Her jaw was starting to move forward and now that it was daylight, she was finding she liked this deal less and less. "Are we going to see this Queen? Yes! Are we getting pledged, whatever that means? I guess. Am I happy about it?" and Sookie looked out across the headstones, their gray granite matching her own mood, "I don't know. I feel like I'm stuck in some fog. I just can't wrap my head around this!"

"What you need is a nice dress!" Claudine declared. "Once you have the dress, the marriage part will seem more real, at least that's how it worked for me."

"I have the dress I wore last night," Sookie replied.

"You won't be wearing that!" Claudine laughed, reminding Sookie of little bells. "Pam is bringing something much more appropriate!"

"Pam's coming?" It made Sookie feel better. Pam was vampire, but Pam was also someone Sookie knew she could count on.

"Sure, didn't your new squeeze tell you? Pam's going to be taking you tonight."

"Oh," and Sookie found her trust in Eric slip just a little bit. He'd told her last night that he was coming for her. He'd told her he would fly her to the Queen's Court. It hadn't been a promise, but now things had changed and she was the last to know.

"Get used to it," Claudine laughed, reading Sookie's expression. "My husband was the same way, making his own plans and expecting me to just be happy. He never figured out how little I like surprises."

"I didn't know you were married." Sookie looked at her cousin and was reminded how little she knew this woman, which left her feeling even more alone than before.

"Of course," Claudine shrugged, "although I haven't seen him in ages! At least you know your bridegroom! I didn't meet Colburn until our joining."

"That sounds awkward," Sookie responded. What she wanted to say was, ' _That's terrible_ ,' or ' _Why would you do that?'_ but since she was pretty much doing the same thing, she figured she'd be polite.

"We are still friends," Claudine continued in that same slightly bored tone, "but better friends at a distance."

"Why don't you divorce him?" Sookie asked. "I mean, it doesn't sound as if you really like him."

Claudine laughed, "And have to marry another stranger? Fae marriages are arranged, Sookie! Once it's done, you can do what you wish. If you divorce, though, the pressure's back on and your family will arrange a new mate. You'll see. We're all used to the rules. Being in an arranged marriage won't be so bad!"

"Compared to what?" Sookie took a deep breath, "A root canal? Surgery?"

"Don't sound so enthusiastic! Northman isn't bad! He's one of the few vampires with whom we Fae enjoy spending time. He doesn't treat us like we're one step away from being the entrée!" Claudine stood, "And he's easy on the eyes, in an Unseelie kind of way."

"I suppose," Sookie agreed. Eric was easy on the eyes. She'd never seen him without his shirt on, but she could see he was more muscled than Breandan, then realization she would likely see a lot more than his chest tonight made Sookie's face flush. In an effort to stop her racing heart, she looked for her cousin, only to see that Claudine was walking away. In fact, she was already some distance and heading toward the back of the church. Where are you going?" Sookie called.

"Somewhere we can't be seen," Claudine called back, "Come on!"

Together they walked past the church, and then up a footpath that took them away from town. After what felt like an hour, they came to a small stand of woods. Almost immediately, the path dove down through some shrubs and Sookie and Claudine were soon standing in a small, level place where trees arched overhead and a small spring bubbled nearby. Claudine waved her hand and Sookie could feel the stillness form around them. "Good, now we won't be disturbed," Claudine grinned. She dropped her masque and motioned for Sookie to do the same.

"Okay, now put your hand to your face," Claudine instructed her and once Sookie did, she asked, "What do you smell?"

"I don't know," Sookie shrugged, then sniffed her palm a little more. "Sweet? A little sweet?"

"Exactly!" Claudine smiled. "When you perform magic, even small magic, you give off a scent. The bigger the magic, the more you emanate!"

"Like sweat?" Sookie asked.

Claudine's expression showed that she thought Sookie's word choice was appalling, "The Fae don't sweat!"

"As always, giving yourselves all kinds of airs!" barked a harsh voice.

Sookie and Claudine whirled to see a small, gnarled man sitting on a rock next to the spring.

"Who asked you?" Claudine sniffed.

The man jumped up and walked over to Sookie. He barely reached her thigh and his skin looked more like leather than anything else. He bowed, "I'm told you're joining our side." He cocked his head before asking, "What are you?"

"None of your business!" Claudine replied tartly. "Do you have it?"

"I do," he replied. He put his hand inside his jacket, but it took him a while to pull it out again. Claudine tapped her foot impatiently and he growled, "It's just that it's pretty and I've held it for you for ages!"

"As is your job. Now it's your job to return it," and Claudine held out her hand.

The man sighed, but he did as Claudine demanded. When his hand pulled back, he held a necklace. It was made of many chains, gold and silver, and caught on the chains were diamonds that winked and sparkled in the filtered sunlight. Sookie's breath caught and Claudine grinned at her cousin's reaction.

"It's your bride's gift!" Claudine told her. "There will be more, a dowry, but this is for tonight."

"Marrying a vampire isn't the disgrace this one would tell you," the man told Sookie, winking. "And Northman has quite the reputation with the ladies. You'll be well kept in bed, if you know what I mean!"

"I don't think it's going to be like that," Sookie stammered.

The man literally howled with laughter, but Claudine scowled at him. "You've done your job, now off with you! My cousin and I have things to go over."

He was there one moment and in the next, he wasn't. There was no pop, no noise of any kind, and Sookie blinked her eyes, her mouth open. "Was he…"

She meant to say ' _even there_ ,' but Claudine finished, "A leprechaun? Yes. He and his clan are the keepers of our jewels. Greedy little bastards and they crave treasure, but who safer to hold onto your precious items than someone who literally loves them?" She held up the necklace, allowing the strands to drip between her fingers. "This is gold, of course, and platinum. No more silver for you! If you have any of it in your own things, you should get rid of it. Vampires see silver as a weapon, so if you're wearing any, they'll take offense."

"I never would have believed any of this a year ago," Sookie sighed.

"You knew you were different," Claudine pointed out.

"I just didn't think it was anything like this," and Sookie found herself looking back at the rock where the leprechaun had been sitting.

"Aren't you glad to know you're not stuck with some, one-dimensional, boring life?" Claudine challenged her.

Sookie thought about it. She thought about birds that sang with her and all the wonderful things she'd seen. She thought about how it felt when she believed she was the only one like her in the world and how it felt now. Even though there were still times knowing what she did now didn't make her happy, Sookie didn't feel so alone anymore. "Yes, I am better knowing this exists," she agreed.

"Good!" and Claudine laughed again. Sookie could have sworn the sparks of light danced in time, but then Claudine clapped her hands, "Day's wasting! We need to get to work!"

Claudine had Sookie concentrate on her sense of smell. She drilled her until Sookie could discern the changes around her. "You're doing well, but think about what that smells like to your vampire. His sense of smell is a thousand times more sensitive than yours! They are hunting creatures mostly, so they are more developed in that way. They're fast, they see more clearly, and they can smell blood for miles."

"Sounds like you're describing sharks," Sookie observed.

"They are the Fae version of sharks," Claudine agreed. "Beautiful and just as deadly."

Now that Sookie could identify when her scent changed, Claudine started the work of helping Sookie to mask it. "Think of it like pulling on a body stocking," Claudine instructed. "It's really just a different version of masking. If you think of it that way, you should be able to wrap your head around how to hide it."

Sookie pulled the masking on, and then she pulled it off again. When she still smelled, she tried different ideas. She envisioned it as a cloak. She thought of it as rain falling down on her. Each time, Claudine found some lingering scent. The very act of masking caused Sookie to release scent, so by the time lunch rolled around Sookie was sweating, even though Claudine had told her she couldn't.

"You're doing really well," Claudine assured her. "Better than I hoped." She'd made a lunch of salad and fruits appear and they settled down, listening to the sound of the water running over rocks.

"What are these?" Sookie asked, holding up a small flower she'd found in her salad.

"Herbs," Claudine shrugged. "Flavors. We Fae like to perfume our bodies inside as well as out. What you eat affects how you taste."

"Yuck!" Sookie dropped the flower. "What are you telling me? You worry about being caught by cannibals?"

"You're being caught by a vampire," Claudine observed. "He'll be drinking from you." When Sookie blushed, Claudine smirked and shook her head, "Why are you so embarrassed? I can smell him in you now! His blood, I mean. You must have liked it."

"I did," Sookie admitted. "It just seems like too personal thing to talk about."

"Oh!" and the laugh returned, trilling and spilling around them. "You humans are so silly with all your rules and religion! What's better than sharing your body with someone else? There is no pleasure like it!"

"There's more to a relationship than sex!" Sookie huffed.

"But sex is the icing," Claudine persisted. "Without sex, good sex, the rest of the relationship can become dull. But, I don't think you'll have anything to worry about there!"

Sookie took a deep breath. There had been a lot of talk about Eric and sex this morning and it hadn't helped that Sookie had lost sleep, worrying about the same thing. "And how would you know?" she challenged Claudine. "You slept with him? You know anyone who has?"

Claudine looked taken aback, "Well, no," she admitted. "But he has a reputation…"

"Well, I have a reputation for being odd. Do you think I'm odd? Or stuck up? Or snotty?" Sookie pressed.

Claudine's mouth fell into a straight line, "Snotty may apply," she sniffed, then, regaining her smile, she correctly guessed, "I can see you are worried about tonight. I only wished to place you at ease, but I can see it isn't working. I'm sorry. I'll stop." She looked up at toward the sky. "We should get back. You can practice some more, and then you'll need to shower before Pam arrives."

The walk back to Carreigh seemed to take much longer. The sun was shining brightly today and the heat seemed to radiate up from the ground, made warmer by the evaporating moisture from the rain that had fallen overnight. Sookie soon found herself falling farther and farther behind. She pretended to be interested in flowers or birds flying nearby, allowing her to wipe the sweat from her face or pull her shirt away from her body but, after a bit, she stopped pretending, just burrowing into herself and keeping up a bright internal monologue, encouraging herself to keep stepping forward.

"You're a mess!" Claudine's sudden appearance brought Sookie up short. "Didn't you sleep last night? You look like you might collapse!"

"I didn't sleep," Sookie admitted, "and I'm really thirsty."

"Town is just there." Sookie lifted her head to follow Claudine's gesture. She could see the steeple of the church, so she knew it was just around the next bend. "Let's get you back to your room. A shower will help."

For all it was close, it still seemed to take forever but, soon, Sookie was standing under running water. She walked out to find the bed turned down. "There's plenty of time," Claudine told her kindly. She helped Sookie climb into bed, and then the Fae leaned down and kissed Sookie's forehead. Sookie's eyes closed and she knew no more.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"It's a good thing you brought them." Sookie's eyes felt very heavy. She turned over thinking that the voices might have been in her dream.

"I didn't think they even sold this anymore," a familiar voice answered.

It was Pam. Sookie took one last, deep breath and willed her eyes to open. She focused on Claudine. The tall Fae was standing at the foot of Sookie's bed, her arms crossed. Sookie rolled a little so she could see Pam. Her friend was standing near Sookie's suitcase, and she had a pair of Sookie's panties stretched between her hands. She glanced at Sookie, "Can you explain this?" she asked and held up the panties.

"They're my underwear," Sookie mumbled. She pushed herself up, leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees, and scrubbed at her still-gritty eyeballs. "What time is it?"

"Time to get started," Pam grinned. She tossed the underwear back in the suitcase and sat down on the bed. "Claudine says you showered, but you've been sleeping a long time. You need to shower again." She pulled the bedsheet away, leaving Sookie naked, except for a tee-shirt and another pair of panties that matched the ones Pam had been disparaging. "Oh, and you need to shave!"

"What are you talking about?" The headache was much better, but Sookie needed water and lots of it.

"Pits, legs, arms, and there!" and Pam's eyes made clear where she meant.

"I take it down pretty short as it is," Sookie protested.

"Well, this…" and Pam held up a pale blue lacy thong, "isn't going to lay right if you're a bush woman! I have extra razors if you need them. Oh, and use this," and she handed Sookie a bath gel that looked expensive.

"I have never worn anything like that," Sookie growled at the thong, "and I shave just fine, thank you very much!"

"If you're going to be a problem, I'll just strong-arm you into the shower and do it myself!" Pam warned her.

"I'll hold you down," Claudine volunteered.

"I don't know what you think is going to happen tonight, but I'm not fucking Eric!" Sookie declared.

Claudine looked surprised, but Pam just laughed, "Said no woman ever!"

"I mean it!" Sookie knew she was digging in. "I barely know him! He barely knows me! I'm not saying it won't happen sometime, but I'm not the kind of woman who hops from one bed to another. I mean, until a week ago, I was getting married to someone else! I can't just turn it on and turn it off! I don't work that way!"

"It will be expected," Claudine said quietly.

When Sookie's jaw started moving forward, Pam headed her off by saying, "I know Eric won't force you." Claudine made a sound and Pam shot her a look. "Your cousin is right, though. There will be an expectation that there is a wedding night. In the old days, they used to make you do it right in front of everyone and exchange at the same time. Things have become a lot tamer since then."

"Too bad!" Claudine smiled. "I would have paid to see that!"

"Not helping!" Sookie groaned. "I'm starting to think this whole thing is a really bad idea! I don't know how I let myself get talked into it. I'm sure it's not so doom and gloom as people are making it out to be." Sookie glanced from one woman to the other. Neither was looking too sympathetic.

"You might think about Eric," Pam shrugged. "You think you have cold feet? He's avoided any kind of joining as long as I've known him. If you leave him hanging, he'll be looking over his shoulder for years. Every vampire with an ounce of ambition will assume he's gone soft and he'll find himself being challenged." Pam shook her head, "Nope, you can divorce him in a year or two, but you have to go through with the ceremony tonight"

"And then there's Rogan," Claudine added. "You think he'd think twice about ending you? He'll hesitate over the vampire, but you? No! He'll kill you and then there will be another war. I lost my sister in the last one and my Mother, too. Hundreds will die and it would be the end of all of us. We can't sustain that kind of population loss. Rogan never should have gone looking for you. He shouldn't have had Breandan drag you here, but he did and now? There's no going back." Claudine took Sookie's hand in hers, "Pledge to him. It's the best way and like Pam said, it doesn't have to be permanent unless you want it to be."

"Oh, great!" Sookie groaned, "So, it's all on me!"

"Suck it up, buttercup!" Pam laughed. She dragged Sookie out of bed and pushed her toward the shower. "Get going! By the time we're done, you're going to knock his socks off!"

Sookie did what they wanted, although she couldn't quite bring herself to go completely bare. She emerged, wrapped in a towel. "Time to make magic!" and Claudine pulled the towel from her.

Before Sookie could even protest, she was seated in a chair and Pam was tossing her a bra. "Start with that!" It was the same shade of blue as the thong she'd seen earlier.

"Hose and garter belt?" Claudine asked.

"What else?" Pam laughed.

Over the next hour, Sookie was pulled and pummeled. Her hair was dried and done in an upswept twist. Claudine handled makeup from her own case of cosmetics while Pam helped Sookie to step into layers of clothing until she shimmied into the dress and the zipper was pulled up with satisfying ease. "Step into these," Pam instructed, pushing the strappy, high-heeled sandals toward her, "Then we'll let you take a peek."

The shoes were awkward, but Sookie had experimented before. Just looking down at her toes, she felt special. Then, Pam helped her to turn and Sookie saw herself in the full-length mirror.

"Wow!" she said. The woman in the mirror was familiar, yet not. "I can't believe it," she breathed.

"You are beautiful!" Claudine told her. The Fae stepped up behind her and looped the necklace around her neck. The chains hung perfectly over her skin, drawing the eye. "There's earrings, too." Chains with small diamonds were placed in Sookie's ears and they sparked and shone every time she moved her head.

"Time to go to the ball, Cinderella," Pam hugged Sookie and kissed her cheek.

"I wish my Mom could see me," Sookie whispered.

"I'm sure she can," Claudine soothed.

Both women helped Sookie walk to the stairs, and then they decided to have her take off the shoes until she arrived at the Queen's court. Sookie had a pair of Crocs and she slipped them on. Claudine couldn't stop laughing, but everyone agreed it was better than having Sookie slip and break her neck before she arrived.

When they got the Pam's car, Claudine stepped back. "You're not coming?" Sookie asked.

"To Vampire Court? Not hardly!" She turned to Pam, "Take pictures. I want to see Northman's face when he sees what's coming for him!"

Once Sookie was in the car, Claudine leaned in. She kissed Sookie's forehead again. "May the blessings of the Fae be with you!" she smiled. "May you find great happiness in your joining."

"Thanks for helping me," Sookie told her. "I'll remember your lessons."

"You'd better," Claudine replied. "You have my number. Just remember, anything you need," and Claudine closed the door as Pam drove away.


	27. Chapter 26 - With Hand Unfurled

**Chapter 26 – With Hand Unfurled**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"We don't need to be bonded for me to know you're freaking out!" Pam scolded. "What do you think is going to happen? I know my Maker and he's not that bad!"

"You're not the one…" and Sookie looked out the window, "Never mind!"

Pam glanced at her human friend. A part of her did sympathize. Had she not been turned, Pam would have faced an arranged marriage. She remembered how angry she felt, to be forced to give herself to someone without any say in the matter, just because she was female. Pam knew Sookie well enough to know it was a trait they shared. "At least you know Eric," she offered, "and you did agree."

"I guess," Sookie whispered.

"Can you feel him now?" Pam asked. She knew Eric and Sookie had exchanged blood. Her Maker told her it wasn't a strong tie, but he also told her things that implied he could feel Sookie's emotions.

"No, not unless I'm in the same area with him," Sookie shrugged.

Pam glanced at Sookie again. She weighed the options and decided to say the things she knew her friend needed to hear, whether they were exactly true or not. "Well, you know I can feel Eric. I feel him all the time, unless he cuts off the bond between us or I do."

"You can do that?" Sookie asked.

"Of course! He's my Maker!" and Pam rolled her eyes. "What's important is I am feeling him now and he's feeling a lot like you look."

"Pissed off?" Sookie asked.

"Well, no," and Pam glanced at Sookie again. "That's your pissed off look? Could have fooled me!"

"It's my pissed at myself look," Sookie clarified. "It's my 'top of the class stupid,' look."

"You know, there's about a hundred women who would give their eyeteeth to trade places with you right now," Pam huffed.

"Oh yeah?" Sookie snarled, "Got a phone number? I'll give them a call!"

"Well, I don't think Eric would like that!" Pam snapped back. "Fact is, Eric hasn't been the same since he came back from Boston. He made sure we were in Slievemore because he was sure that's where you'd end up."

"What are you saying?" Sookie asked in spite of herself.

"I'm saying that there were much better places we could have set up business, but he was determined. He didn't say it, but I know he insisted because he was sure you'd end up there." When Sookie's mouth softened a little, Pam nodded, "That's right! He was an absolute pain! He candy-assed his way around those Fae every day gathering information, trying to find out when you'd arrive. He didn't ask about you, of course, but he figured you'd be with Claude's butt boy."

Sookie swallowed hard. The image of Breandan kissing Claude came back. She knew she should have been angry, but she wasn't. It was just proof of how stupid she'd been about everything.

"I know something happened between you and Eric," Pam was saying. "It was when you were living at The Grand and you were coming for dinner a lot. There was that night when Breandan left for his trip, before you fought with Mae. The bartender told me Eric walked you home, but when he returned he was nasty. You started avoiding him and he was terrible to be around!"

"I didn't know that," and Sookie remembered that night in the park. She had kissed Eric Northman. She had wanted to kiss him. The fact was, she was happy when she was near Eric. She would look for him whenever she thought he might be near. He always seemed happy to see her. It was as if they were drawn to each other and that attraction made it all too easy to forget the things she should do for the things she wanted.

Sookie started to think more about the questions she'd been turning over in her head. Some seemed foolish, but some were really starting to bother her. "Will I be the only one Eric feeds from after this?" She couldn't even look at Pam when she asked, it felt so silly.

"If you want to be," and Pam gave her a longer look. "Feeding… I don't know if you know this, but feeding is an intimate act for a vampire. If the person involved is someone you care about or someone you desire, there is an almost irresistible urge to mate that goes along with it."

"He has had my blood," Sookie informed Pam.

"And not taking it to the next step cost him each time," Pam informed her.

"Oh my God!" Sookie exclaimed. "You felt that?"

"It was unexpected," Pam told her, "for Eric, I mean. If he'd realized how he'd react, he would have closed off the bond with me."

"You 'feel' each other having sex with other people?" The picture Sookie was getting was not flattering.

"We aren't stalkers," Pam snarked, giving her best eyeroll. "Usually, the reaction is so low key I don't even notice. What I'm trying to say is that what he feels for you when he's with you is on a totally different level. He likes you, Sookie! I think it's more!"

"I can't explain what I feel when he's around, either," Sookie sighed. "It's like I just can't say no."

"So, in answer to your question, if you ask, I think he'd want you to be the only one he feeds from, but you'd have to be ready for everything that goes with that." Pam checked her phone, "Shit, we're running late."

"Like what?" Sookie asked. "What else goes with it, besides sex?"

"Vampires are possessive," Pam shrugged. "Really possessive. There are rules. You can't give your blood to anyone else. If anyone goes after you, Eric is required to try to kill them. Eric can't give his blood to anyone else without your permission. If he does, you can ask the Queen to sentence him to punishment or final death."

"What?" Sookie cried. "Final death? For not getting my permission?"

"Blood offense," Pam shrugged. "Since you're only tied and pledged, the Queen would probably let him get away with torture. If you were bonded, it would be final death for sure."

"What about me?" Sookie was thinking she might not want to hear the answer.

"You're not vampire," Pam shrugged. "You'd probably get away with a serious dressing down and an offer to Eric to divorce you as being unworthy."

"He really gets the shit end of the stick in this, doesn't he?" Sookie asked. It was beginning to occur to her that Eric might be giving up more than she would.

"I don't know," Pam laughed. "He's pretty attached to you. If you didn't agree, he'd just have to keep on mooning around, wondering when you'll show up, and finding excuses to give you work, stuff like that."

"You really think he wants this?" Sookie wanted to believe it. Eric had told her he did, but hearing it from Pam seemed more credible.

"I think he's attracted to you in a way he doesn't understand," Pam told her. "I think he fights it from time to time, but if you ask me? I think you could be his one."

That gave Sookie pause. She didn't think Pam would lie to her. She thought again about her own reaction to Eric, ' _Is he my one?_ ' she wondered, but, for once, her internal voice was silent.

"What do you know about his house, the one in Ballytyne?" Sookie asked instead.

"I don't know it well," Pam cocked her head a little. "It's white, like a lot of houses. It's newer, but looks old, if you know what I mean." Sookie nodded. She was getting an image of the cottage in Killary, which made her happy and sad at the same time. "It's on a hill overlooking town. We are a little paranoid about being around a lot of people when we rest, for obvious reasons."

"How will that work if he's…well…sleeping with me?" It slipped out and Sookie wished she could have taken it back.

"' _I am not having sex with Eric Northman!_ '" Pam mimicked Sookie's voice pretty well, and then she turned to her friend. "He's fun and smart. He loves joking and he's a great dancer. He's read more books than I knew existed. You could do a lot worse!"

"It's not him," Sookie conceded, "It's the whole thing. These are modern times, but when I'm around you people…"

"You people?" and Pam gave Sookie the stink-eye.

"You know what I mean!" Sookie sighed. "I didn't know I was Fae or hybrid, or whatever it is I'm supposed to call myself. I didn't know anything about this! All I worried about was getting a college degree and finding a job, maybe getting married someday and having a family…" and Sookie stopped. She looked out the window.

"If you really want children and you decide to stay with Eric, there are ways," Pam told her.

"You all figure we're supposed to divorce, so there's no reason to talk about it," Sookie could hear the brittle tone of her voice and her inner voice did finally speak up, telling her, ' _Live each moment. Make it count!_ '

For the first time, they saw a street sign for Ballytyne. It was ten kilometers away. "Barely nine miles," Sookie translated. She turned back to Pam, "So, he's a bartender and he's a Sheriff? How does that work?"

"He's Sheriff of most of Ireland. There are other Sheriffs, but Eric's the oldest, so that makes him the most important. Age matters to vampires. The older you are, the more gifts you manifest. It also tells another vampire that you were smart enough and strong enough to survive. You might as well know, Sookie, vampires aren't the most popular of the Fae!" and Pam smiled broadly, flashing her fangs. "There will be those who will think you've lowered yourself to join with one of us but, in the end? We're the ones anyone comes to when they're in trouble!"

"So, you're telling me that I'm a hybrid, which makes me a loser, joining with the loser species on the Fae totem pole?" and Sookie couldn't help herself. She laughed.

Pam laughed, too. "Safety in numbers!" she told her friend. "We can all be losers together!"

"Seriously," Sookie asked once the silence stretched for a bit, "How does the sleeping thing work?"

"You'll have to figure that out," Pam shrugged. "I suspect it will pretty much depend on you. I don't know how Eric's room is set up in this house, but it's probably in the basement. There will be locked doors, we generally use steel. The locks extend beyond the door jambs and Eric always seems to have two. The doors lock from the inside for obvious reasons, so if you were down there with him, it would be pretty hard to leave, only because of locking up after." Pam pressed her lips, "Of course, technology is available…"

"So, if I wasn't with him in his bed?" and Sookie left the question hanging.

"You'll probably have another bedroom you'll use in the house," Pam shrugged.

Sookie sighed. It sounded lonely, and then she squared her shoulders. She didn't want to sleep with Eric and then she was worried about waking up alone? "So, how do we introduce ourselves to non-vampires?" she asked instead.

"There aren't a lot of pledged mixed couples, but when vampires pledge, they generally use the same honorifics. This is Ireland, so expect to be Mrs. Northman."

"Mrs. Northman," Sookie repeated, and she felt her heart quicken just a bit.

"We're here!" Pam said and she pulled the car over to the side of the road.

'Here' was a large house perched on a hill. Sookie swung her feet out and, with Pam's help, substituted the Crocs for the strappy sandals. She stood up and almost immediately started to topple, the heels sinking into the soft berm. "Hold on!" Pam called and Sookie found herself scooped up and being swiftly carried up the driveway, bridal style.

"Crap!" Sookie exclaimed. "I knew you were strong, but…"

"Vampire!" Pam laughed. They arrived at a stone patio and Pam set her down. There were two guards watching them, but Pam didn't acknowledge them until she'd finished helping Sookie set herself to rights.

"Sookie Stackhouse to see the Queen," she told the guards. "I believe Sophie-Ann expects her."

The guards were both tall and wore all black. They didn't bother hiding their thorough appraisal and Sookie could see their admiration. "She is," one said. "She just wondered when she," and he cocked his head toward Sookie, "would show up."

"What are you?" the other asked.

"Late!" Pam announced and taking Sookie's arm, walked her past the guards and into the house.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

When Eric disconnected from his conversation with Pam, he saw the sign for Ballytyne. Just before he entered the town limits, he took the left that led to a small hill overlooking town. It was there he had built his Court house. That's how he thought of it, because he only rested here when he had official business that required him to stay in the area more than one night.

It wasn't that he didn't like the area. Originally, he'd planned to spend most of his time here. This was vampire territory and the town was pleasant. The roads were fine and the location made it easy to reach almost anywhere with few detours. There were some business opportunities, but the real attraction was the countryside itself. It was also where the Queen presided, though Sophie-Ann's presence made these environs less inviting.

Whenever Eric was in residence, the Queen made a point of claiming his attention. She could demand sex from him and had at one point. It wasn't that it was a hardship; it was that she could command him and that didn't sit right with Eric. He was old, too old to put up with the ego-driven tantrums of a younger vampire with delusions of grandeur. In short, Sophie-Ann LeClerq was tedious and Eric Northman had allowed her to drive him away from the home he'd built.

Within ten minutes, the driveway came into view and Eric made the turn that took him over a stream and then up another rise to the house. It looked old, but it wasn't. The front was U-shaped, the wide front door set back up from flagstone steps. There was a two-car garage attached to the left of the building and Eric was pleased to see the door to one of the bays open as he drove closer. The lights were on, which meant Bobby Burnham had beat him here. Eric drove into the bay and turned off his car. He didn't bother to hit the switch to lower the doors. Bobby would handle that later.

The door into the house went through the utility room toward the back. It was more of a glorified mudroom and Eric had built it with the idea of housing the cabinets that held his weapons. There was a deep, stainless steel sink that would come in handy when clean-up after torture was required. In fact, the entire room was designed to be scrubbed down if needed, and the bathroom complete with a shower for this floor opened from here. Through the utility room was the kitchen and that's where Eric found Bobby.

"Master!" Bobby smiled and bowed low. Bobby had come highly recommended by a fellow Sheriff in England. Bobby had recently moved to Ireland to be closer to his sister. Eric's counterpart had warned him that Bobby was a toady, willing to do anything to earn the privilege of being turned. The British Sheriff hadn't felt Burnham deserved it. Eric was willing to give the Dayman the benefit of the doubt.

"I understand you will be hosting a female here," Bobby said, using his most clinical tone.

"It is my intention to have Sookie live here," Eric said as patiently as he could. "She is more than my female. She will be my mate, my pledged." Eric told Bobby.

"Mate!" and Bobby's eyebrows rose along with his voice. Eric watched him struggle for a moment, and then he rallied. "My congratulations, Master," he bowed again. "When might we expect your mate to take up residence?"

"Tomorrow night," Eric let drop.

Eric watched Bobby's face tense, and then he flicked his eyes to a clipboard he was carrying. "That doesn't give us much time. If I may ask, is she vampire?"

"No," Eric shook his head, "No, my mate is not."

"Oh," and Bobby looked around the kitchen, "Then that complicates things." Eric wasn't sure what was causing the Dayman problems. Other than the dead mouse in the corner of the kitchen, things looked pretty much as Eric had last left them. When Eric motioned that Bobby should explain, the Dayman took a breath, rocked back on his heels, and began. "Well, we can start here in the kitchen. As you can see, the electricity is on. The refrigerator and microwave are both working, but you never installed a stove," and he gestured to an open space on the wall. "If your mate is not vampire, she will want to eat, and that will require a stove, unless you intend to have the local restaurants provide all her food."

"No," Eric shook his head. Now that Bobby had pointed it out, Eric did notice the omission. "What else?"

"The water was just turned on. I'll have someone out tomorrow to check the pressure, but baths and showers are possible. You may also wish to consider installing a dishwasher. It's been awhile since you purchased the refrigerator, but the matching models and colors may still be available."

"Is that important?" Eric frowned.

"From the design catalogs I've seen, it would appear most females like matching appliances." He said it in a way that gave Eric to believe he had actually checked.

Bobby moved through the dining room and into the family gathering space toward the front of the house. "Both of the fireplaces, here and in the library, are working. I'm assuming you'd like peat brought in." When Eric nodded, Bobby checked off something on his list.

They both walked across the central hall. The circular staircase rose to the second floor where hidden behind a clever door in the base was the entrance to the stairs that led down to Eric's chamber.

"I took the liberty of checking upstairs," Bobby was telling him. "Other than the washer and dryer, there are no furnishings upstairs of any kind."

Eric thought about that, "I want her to have the master bedroom available," he told Bobby. "How quickly can you arrange a canopy bed? Something with posts?" Eric had a sudden image of Sookie, her arms spread-eagled, tied by the wrist, and panting under his hands, and he could barely keep his fangs from dropping. "Something romantic," Eric added, "Like a dressing table with a large mirror.

"You said she'd be here tomorrow night?" Bobby sighed. "I will do my best, Master, but what you describe will not be easy to locate."

"I know who can find it," Eric smirked and pulled his phone from his pocket. "I know a certain Fae King who owes me several favors. I'll expect you to be here tomorrow to supervise them."

"Of course," Bobby was bowing again and Eric was tempted to swat him. They finished walking up the stairs. There were originally four bedrooms in the floor plan, but Eric had combined those on the left side into one large master suite. The original bathroom over the garage was now a large walk-in closet and the whole back of the house was the private bath. The tub was big enough for two and there was a separate shower stall. Eric had installed a toilet as well as a sink, and now he was happy he had.

The other two bedrooms were unfurnished and the washer and dryer took up the closet space in one. There was another bathroom shared between the rooms. "I will want the front bedroom set up as my office," Eric told Bobby. "You will arrange for my furniture from Slievemore to be transported here."

"All of it?" Bobby asked.

"All but my bed. The bed in my resting chamber here is adequate, and Bobby…" Eric waited until he was sure he had Burnham's attention, "Make sure they are careful with my books! I want them brought and installed in the library downstairs."

Eric walked back into the Master bedroom. "My clothes will be installed downstairs," and he waved at the closet space. "This space is for your Mistress' belongings." It gave the vampire a strange thrill, referring to Sookie in this way. He looked back at the bedroom. There was a fireplace on the front wall. "Peat for this one, too, and make sure the bed is set back. I want space so we can enjoy the flame."

"Of course," Bobby was nodding and making notes. "If I may suggest…" and Bobby pointed out where televisions and Internet connections would make sense. Eric vetoed the idea of televisions in the bathroom, kitchen, or bedroom.

"I enjoy my quiet," he pointed out. He thought of the single television in Sookie's apartment and he could count the number of times he'd seen it her using it one hand. "Sookie also appreciates a less electronic life," he stated as if he knew it for sure.

It felt good, thinking of Sookie here. Eric glanced at the windows. Originally, he had planned on converting this into light tight space. The central staircase was easily secured and the idea of resting and rising here with Sookie at his side, was appealing.

Eric stuck his hand in his pocket and his finger hit the ring Sookie had handed him. He pulled it from his pocket and held it between his thumb and index finger, allowing it to catch the light. "Is that for her?" Bobby asked politely.

"No," Eric shook his head. "It will never be for her!" He held the ring out and when Bobby extended his hand, Eric dropped it onto his waiting palm. "Take this into town to Cohen's. I have an account there. Have them give you an assortment of gold bands, various weights, nothing fancy! They can use this ring for size."

"Are you sure you don't want a stone?" Bobby asked.

"A plain, gold band," Eric repeated. He wasn't sure why he didn't want something fancier. He supposed that Sookie, who refused to take help, would be embarrassed by something too flashy on her finger. Besides, a band was something that matched her customs, not his. If she decided to stay with him, he would get her to wear jewels. There would be functions they would attend as part of the Queen's retinue and it warmed him to think of her with her chin raised, his chains around her neck and his bracelets adorning her arms. She would be draped in things he'd given her, proclaiming to everyone who mattered that she was his!

"Master!" Bobby interrupted. Eric realized Bobby had been trying to get his attention for some time. 

"I'm sorry, Burnham," Eric ran his hand through his hair. "There is much to be made ready before tomorrow."

"Indeed," and Bobby executed another annoying bow. "I am assuming linens, towels…"

"Equip the bathroom," Eric frowned. "Bath gels, candles. I wish all to be ready."

"By tomorrow night," and Bobby looked a bit pale. He wrote more on his checklist, but Eric could see he was turning something over in his head. He rolled his eyes and rocked back on his heels. He glanced at Eric, then looked away. He licked his lips, then made a small noise.

"Speak!" Eric barked.

Bobby actually squeaked! He looked his most abject before saying, "It's just that 'Sookie' is an unusual name. There's talk that Rogan Brigant and his son have a captive, a hybrid with that name." Bobby waited, not making eye contact, so Eric waited, too. "It's just that… well, is there any possibility that the new Mistress might be the same Sookie?"

Eric decided to put Burnham out of his misery. "What of it?" he asked.

Now Bobby did look concerned. He looked directly at Eric, his courage found, "If you are stealing her, it could mean war!"

"I am not stealing her," Eric shrugged, looking as nonchalant as possible. "She comes to me of her own free will. She has chosen me and I, her. Brigant can fume, but she is not obligated to him. He has lost her consent and no magic or force was required."

"And will Rogan see it that way?" Bobby had clearly found all kinds of courage. His chin was up and his shoulders squared. "He has a reputation. He killed his daughter-in-law over the hybrid. Everyone is talking of it."

"Rogan will think twice about crossing Sophie-Ann," Eric shrugged.

"Of course!" Bobby seemed to relax a little, "You'll get the Queen's backing! A smart move, but, still, if she's here, so far from guards…" and Bobby glanced around the room again.

Eric wondered that he hadn't already followed this line of thought. It wasn't like him not to consider every possibility and he realized, looking at the Master bedroom again, how the thought of having Sookie had distracted him. He considered asking Niall for help, then thought about the problems Niall already faced. Niall's own son and heir preferred to ignore the situation. It wouldn't take much to set a match to the old angers that simmered just under the surface of Niall's kingdom.

There were other sources for day guards, but none that Eric had used in past. He pulled out his phone and thumbed through the contacts until he found Octavia Fant. She was not native to this part of Ireland, but she had risen quickly in the ranks of the local coven. Eric met her from time to time. For the most part, vampires steered clear of witches, but he knew that they worked for other Supernaturals. Despite the hour, he pushed the call button.

It was a sleepy voice that answered, "This better be good!"

"I am sorry to disturb you," Eric used his most charming tone. "My name is Eric Northman…"

"I know who you are," the voice sighed. "Your name came up." Eric didn't remember giving the witch his number, but he filed that away for another day.

"My Dayman, Bobby Burnham, will be in touch with you tomorrow. I need to arrange wards for my house and for a person. I wanted you to know he has my authority to negotiate." Eric stared at Bobby, making sure that Burnham was paying attention.

"Great!" Octavia said, "Super! Just make sure your lackey doesn't call until after ten, and I'm charging you for this!" and the line disconnected.

"Something that keeps Fae with bad intentions away from her and this house," Eric told Bobby. "See if Niall and his family can be exempt. I don't want there to be a problem there."

Bobby scratched away and Eric sent Burnham the contact info for Octavia from his phone. "I think that's it for now," Eric told his Dayman. "Go home and get some sleep. I need everything done by tomorrow night. We should be here around midnight."

"I just don't know…" Bobby stuttered.

"I heard you were a miracle worker," Eric hissed. "Hire people! Find a way! Impress me and you'll get your wish!"

"You'll turn me!" and Bobby's eyes widened.

"I will find someone suitable to turn you," Eric corrected. He had no interest in having this toady as his child, but he could think of several decent vampires who would love the endless bending and fetching that Burnham would represent.

Bobby left with an extra skip in his step, vowing everything would be ready. Eric wondered if the Dayman would drive the forty miles to his house or if he'd park and sleep down the road. Cable and utilities would likely come early, and when the Fae made their deliveries they liked to be done and out before others started to crowd the roads.

Eric took a last walk through the house. He tried to see it with new eyes, eyes that considered the needs of a human. It had been many centuries since he'd tried to live with a human. The last had been Suzanne. She was Sookie's opposite in coloring, but just as curious. She was funny and made him laugh, but he hadn't appreciated her enough. He'd been careless and she'd fallen under Claude's spell.

After Claude released her, Suzanne was a shadow of herself. She had a taste for rough sex and she abandoned Eric soon after, taking up a place in the local whorehouse. He saw her from time to time, her looks fading. In the end, Suzanne took her own life, opening her wrists in a bath. "I should have been more watchful over you," Eric said out loud.

He doublechecked the locks on the doors, then opened the panel that led down into his chamber. Most of the cost of building this place had been in having the basement dug. The land had been important, finding soil that was neither too wet nor too rocky. The result was a large room stretching nearly the length of the house, offering a solid foundation that would resist shifting, even if a truck was driven at the structure at full speed. While there was nothing that could be done about the lack of windows, Eric still had the walls finished in light colors and had soft lighting installed. There were built-in bookcases and his over-sized bed was mounted on its own platform. The floor was tiled, but covered with thick rugs.

Stripping, Eric walked into the bathroom and turned the shower on. He liked his water hot. It made sliding under the blankets that much more enjoyable. Drying himself, he glanced around and for the first time noticed he hadn't installed a toilet. He wondered if Sookie would wish to join him here, in this place. He couldn't imagine it, then realized he hoped that she would. "You will be trouble," he half-smiled, and then picking up his phone, texted Bobby to remember to have flowers brought into the house.

"Sookie Stackhouse!" Eric said out loud. He closed his eyes and allowed the approaching daylight to pull him into his rest.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

When Eric rose, it was to find a certain tension in his chest. He recognized it. It was the same whine of adrenaline he experienced before tense meetings or going into battle. ' _This is neither of those_ ,' he chided himself, but the tension didn't ease.

He emerged to find Bobby busy in the back of the house. There were sounds from the rooms overhead and Eric noticed a van pulling away. "Master!" his Dayman rushed to greet him.

"Success?" Eric asked.

"Nearly," Bobby smiled nervously. "They are working on appliances now. The Internet is up and running and your office has been equipped. The bed arrived, but those fools forgot the mattress. They will return soon. I personally took care of the bathroom. I believe you will be pleased."

Bobby checked his clipboard. "The peat will be delivered tomorrow during the day," and he glanced at Eric. "Your books arrived only an hour ago. They are placing them now in case you'd like to offer any guidance?" When Eric didn't move, Bobby continued, "The groceries came. I took the liberty of leaning toward fresh fruit and vegetables. I cut out sugar. Wouldn't want your mate to start bad habits!" Eric's eyes narrowed, and Bobby immediately looked less chipper. "I didn't mean anything by that, of course!" he back-pedaled, then broke eye contact and scuttled away.

Eric walked slowly through the rooms. There were several strangers, but Eric wasn't worried. He knew Bobby would only use vampire-friendly companies. There was a knock at the front door, so Eric opened it. Bobby was beside him in an instant, "Upstairs!" he barked.

The men were obviously Fae. They trundled a large mattress between them and more followed with a box spring and a dresser made of some honey-colored wood.

Eric glanced down at his dark-colored slacks and white shirt. He'd opted to forego the tie, but had decided to bring a jacket, just in case. One never knew what tone Sophie-Ann would set on any given evening and she wanted her courtiers to match her mood. Showing up business casual was almost always appropriate. Eric thought of the dress Sookie would wear, the same one he'd seen last night. It was black and casual, so they would match.

There was a crash from upstairs. Eric headed up the stairs to find a vase of flowers had been overturned. The Fae appeared to ignore it, but after one noticed Eric, he waved his hand and the flowers were set back to rights. "Maybe I should hire one of you as a house elf," Eric chuckled.

"You could hire me," the workman smirked. "I'd take your fee out in trade. I'd make you regret having me haul that bed upstairs, though. You'd spend all kinds of time tied to those posts!"

"Tell Niall I appreciate it," Eric bowed slightly. The room was beautiful. The canopy included curtains and they looked thick enough. There were matching curtains on the two small windows as well. He would be able to linger here, even sleep through the day without much worry. "It was thoughtful."

"Our King must hold you in high regard," another of the workmen commented. "He oversaw the selection of the furniture himself," and he blew Eric a kiss.

Eric allowed his smile to be their answer. He glanced in the bathroom. There were candles and flowers. The gels were scented with sandalwood and spices. ' _Burnham!_ ' Eric thought, and then wondered if Sookie even liked flowery scents. In all the times he'd been close to her, Eric hadn't noticed that she smelled of anything but herself.

The office was operational. Eric sat in his chair and turned on the computer. He scrolled through emails and then texts. There were a few complaints among them. "The work of a Sheriff," he mumbled. Most looked minor and he texted back asking for a few days. One was more concerning and he forwarded it to Pam, asking her to look into it. He thought about Pam's telling him that every woman expected a honeymoon. "You're not like every woman, though, are you?" he said aloud to no one in particular.

Once he'd finished with the most pressing matters, he returned downstairs. All but the man in the library were gone. Eric greeted him and confirmed the man's placement of books by type and time period. He glanced around, then headed for the dining room where he could hear his Dayman.

There were several long, black, cases set on the table. As Eric walked through the doorway, Bobby started opening the cases, displaying rows of wedding bands. "Are you intending to marry her according to human custom as well?" Bobby asked.

"Do you think she'd want that?" Eric's brows drew together. "It doesn't seem necessary."

"Well, it's just that these are rather traditional," and Bobby waved at the display.

"She is a young woman who will be known to be living here with me," Eric shrugged. "A vampire would expect jewels, but humans will expect a visual display. I won't have anyone thinking less of her," and he gave Bobby a close look.

"Of course!" Bobby almost applauded. "You think of every detail!"

It was Burnham's typical fawning and easy for Eric to dismiss. He moved around the table. The rings were all the same size, but of varying materials and weights. He closed the case of platinum rings almost immediately. "She must fit in here. Traditional rings in Ballytyne are gold," he commented.

There were Claddagh rings as well, but Eric dismissed them as too sentimental. "No one takes me for Irish," he smirked. It was the tray of rose gold that caught his attention.

"Those are true Irish gold," Bobby commented.

Most had etched designs and some had gems inset, although Eric's instructions had been for plain bands. He plucked one that was thicker than most. It's slightly pink color shone and it would fit heavy on her finger. "It will remind her," he commented.

"Of what?" Bobby asked.

"Nothing," Eric shrugged, tucking the ring in his pocket and then holding out his hand, "And where's the Fae Prince's ring?"

"Oh!" Bobby almost blushed, "Here!" He dug it from his pants pocket and dropped it in Eric's hand. The vampire looked again at the platinum and diamonds, so much more decorative than the band he'd chosen. It made him more certain of his selection, not wanting Sookie to see any reminder of Breandan Brigant when she looked at her hand.

Eric checked his phone again. He was certain Pam would be with her by now. Only a few more hours. Suddenly, the house seemed too small. "You've done well," Eric told Bobby. "I will arrange things. There is a female I know who would welcome a companion." Bobby's face dropped. Eric knew Bobby had hoped Eric would agree to be his Maker, but, for all Bobby knew of vampires, Eric was certain there were aspects of a Maker/Child relationship that Bobby didn't understand. "You will be happier," he assured the Dayman, "but you know what is expected. You must find your replacement first. Notify me when you have candidates ready for me to interview." Eric took one last look around, "You really have outdone yourself."

Giving the Dayman what he wished would rob Eric of the spectacle of Sookie putting him in his place, but the vampire realized as he looked around that what he wished most was that this woman would be happy here. He wished them both to be happy. It was a sentiment he hadn't much thought of in a long time.

Eric considered driving to the Queen's house, but then he thought of how Sookie had been when they'd flown together. She'd clutched at him, not truly afraid, and so, he launched himself into the air. "You're looking forward to this!" Eric realized and it felt wonderful.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Eric arrived at the Queen's home shortly before eleven. He barely nodded to the guards, and then had to purposely slow his step as he maneuvered his way toward the Queen's hall. There were those who knew him and wanted to chat. He reached out with his feelings. The tie between him and Sookie was fading, but if she were here, they would be close enough that he should be able to feel her, but there was nothing. He searched for Pam and found her, but still far away. He glanced at his watch. Where were they? He reached for Pam again, thinking to poke her, but felt her abruptly shut off the bond between them and it made him growl. "Sorry!" he explained to those he'd startled. "My Child!" They nodded, their stances becoming relaxed again.

Eric took the time to listen to one of his fellow Sheriffs. Xavier was complaining about how some in his Area were making their presence more noticeable and wanted to know if Eric was seeing similar behavior. "I don't understand what sense it makes, putting a spotlight on yourself. In one hundred years, humans haven't changed. What makes these fools think it's different now?"

"The Queen is asking for you," It was Sigebert, one of the Queen's children. He was an ugly hulk of a man. He and his brother, Wybert, were turned by Sophie-Ann when the Anglos and Saxons were fighting in England. They functioned as her personal bodyguards.

"Excuse me," Eric bowed to Xavier, then followed Sigebert. Those crowding the hall parted before them, they could hardly help it. Sigebert was bigger than most and those who didn't move were pushed by a massive hand. There were those who bowed as they passed and those who called out to Eric, asking for time later. It was nearing midnight and Eric's teeth clenched, wondering where Pam and Sookie could be. Already, the Queen was showing signs of restlessness. Her hair was pulled back tonight and she was wearing one of her larger crowns. She was dressed all in white and her heels gave her another three inches.

"Northman!" she purred. "It's been too long! Andre," and she trailed her fingers across her Second's chest, "just told me you would be here. Naughty boy, not calling me yourself!"

"It's always a pleasure to see you, Majesty," and Eric bowed low. "I regret I don't have the opportunity to be here more often."

"And who's fault is that?" Sophie-Ann pouted. "You know you are always welcome," and she stalked down from her throne, standing close and running sly fingers across the front of his pants. "Typical though. You come, you tease, you show great promise, and then you hide away! Perhaps you are holding out for the right offer?"

Eric sensed danger. The Queen in this mood was at her most mercurial, and so he stepped back a bit, shocking her. Her face registered a burst of anger, and then turned calculating. "So, you didn't mention why you are here."

"I didn't," Eric agreed. "It is a personal matter, but one that requires the arrival of Pam," and Eric glanced at the door.

The Queen's mouth dropped and Eric sensed her interest dropping as well, always a good sign. "Well, Sheriff, as long as you're here, perhaps you'd be so kind as to go with Andre. We have received a request from our counterpart in Spain. You knew her, didn't you?"

Eric had served in the Spanish Queen's Court for a short period. He had no choice, so, bowing, he went with Andre to the Queen's offices, hoping against hope that his business could be finished and he would be returned to the hall before Sookie arrived.

It was not to be so. The correspondence involved a complicated series of trades that had been made between the Queens, and now Carlotta was accusing Sophie-Ann of cheating her. Andre sketched out the basics of the exchange. It involved horses and racing rights. The snarl required an accountant and Eric told Andre as much, but, still, the Second insisted they pour over records for another half hour.

By the time they walked back into the hall, Eric was seething. He reached out, but no Pam. He searched his emotions for Sookie and he found her. She was somewhere nearby, the tie so thin now as to be almost indistinct. Eric's eyes searched. The Queen was in the front of the room talking with an elegant woman who was bowing before her. Sophie-Ann wasn't saying much, but Eric could see she was making an effort, which meant she wanted something from the woman. Eric scanned again and he saw Pam. She was standing near the throne and when she caught his eye, she glanced meaningfully toward the Queen. Eric stepped forward. The dress was wrong, so at this angle it was hard to tell.

The woman straightened, and it was her. "Sookie!" he whispered. She was beautiful! He felt his fangs itching, and his feet carried him closer. There were people around him, but no one else existed, just him and the vision before him dressed in blue.

"Of course, you are welcome here," Sophie-Ann was lisping. "With your patronage, I could hardly deny you. I'm sure you will be letting your Grandfather know that I made things pleasant," and the Queen fixed Sookie with her sharp, green eyes.

"Yes, Ma'am," Sookie replied. His Sookie's back was straight, but she was keeping her eyes downcast, giving Sophie-Ann the appearance of groveling the Queen liked best.

"And here's our Sheriff!" Sophie-Ann exclaimed. "Come here, Eric, and meet the newest vassal to my kingdom. She's a bit of a mystery, but don't look to me to explain! All you need to know is she has my protection!"

Sookie's eyes came up then, and Eric found himself captured by them. Her hair was upswept and her ears sparkled. Chains lay across her white bosom and the silk of her dress kissed her curves. She smiled when she saw him and if the Queen said more, Eric didn't hear it.

"I was wondering where you were," Sookie said. She bit her lip a little and then looked down, taking her bag. "I have something…" she said, half to herself.

Eric couldn't speak. He stepped just a little closer and she turned so she was facing him. If he'd needed to breath, he would have held his breath now. Her hand came up and the velvet bag was there. "For you," she said.

Eric smiled for her and her eyes went from worried to hopeful. He took her hand in his, holding it around the bag for just a moment, then took the bag from her, untied the velvet ropes, and withdrew the jeweled dagger.

Everything around him seemed to still. He lifted the dagger to his lips, never once breaking eye contact with her. "I accept," he said clearly and kissed the blade.

It was as if they were suddenly in a cauldron of snakes. Those around them erupted in hissing, but for Eric, there was only her; the woman, the dress, the eyes, the smile. He placed the knife back in its bag and slid it into his jacket pocket. He withdrew the heavy gold band and stepping forward, took Sookie's hand. Once he slid the band into place, he pulled her forward and kissed her.

She was stiff at first but, then, as the kiss progressed, she relaxed against him, her lips moving beneath his and her hands coming up to rest at his waist.

"Mine!" he whispered to her and her eyes were his whole world.


	28. Chapter 27 - Broken Webs

**Chapter 27 – Broken Webs**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"Get out! Get out!" The Queen shouted. Wybert and Sigebert trundled past Eric and his party, herding courtiers from the room. Eric took Sookie's hand and turned her, thinking to leave as well. His mate hadn't said anything since handing him the knife, but her eyes were shining and that was enough.

"Not you, Northman!" Andre stepped in front of Eric, blocking their way. Pam moved swiftly, taking up position behind Eric's right shoulder. Immediately, the tension around them seemed to escalate from moderate to flash flood warning.

"Eric?" Sookie didn't sound frightened, merely cautious, and he marveled at her again. Sookie hadn't wavered.

"Where do you think you're going, Eric?" Andre mocked. Eric stared Andre down. The threat of danger crowded them, so Eric pulled Sookie to stand between himself and Pam.

"My Queen has asked for her privacy," Eric replied smoothly. "I thought to give it to her."

"You tricked me!" Sophie-Ann used her speed to join Andre. Her crown was askew and her eyes were flint.

"In what way, my Queen?" Eric cocked his head and shifted, to all appearances the bewildered vassal. The Queen was nearly vibrating with anger. Eric's slight movement had freed his sword arm, although he had not thought to bring his blade. He flicked his eyes around him. If Sophie-Ann chose to attack, he could make quick work of her. Pam would have to get around him to move on Andre, although that still left Wybert and Sigebert. The odds were against them and Eric wasn't certain how far Sookie's bravery would extend.

"Personal business? Personal?" Sophie-Ann's voice was climbing. "This," and she pointed at Sookie, her fangs extending, "This is your personal business? Niall Brigant's by-blow?"

"She is," Eric shrugged. He lowered his eyes and shifted again. "I know how little you care for these personal arrangements, but, as I am your Sheriff, I wanted you to know. As my Pledged, Sookie may pick up the phone for me or assist in my work. I didn't want her to be a stranger to you."

"Oh!" and Sophie-Ann's eyes narrowed, "So this was you doing me a favor?"

"Not a favor," and Eric slightly bowed his head. "Merely giving you the courtesy of information."

"You lie as smoothly as any Seelie snake!" the Queen snarled.

"Are you questioning my honor?" Eric asked quietly, yet the effect was immediate. The Queen's children went still in that way only vampires can. If the Queen accepted this as a challenge, there would be a fight and Eric would either meet the final death or emerge as King. With his age, the outcome was in his favor and Sophie-Ann's eyes widened as she realized the danger.

"Of course not," and she flattened her mouth in a straight line. "You should have told me when I first asked you," and she sounded aggrieved.

"I explained that I was waiting for Pam," Eric answered reasonably. "My Child was bringing Sookie. I thought it would take less of your time to explain this once. Had you not sent me from the hall to look into your money problems," Andre made a hissing noise and beside him, Sookie jumped, "I would have been in your presence and ready to make introductions."

"So, now this is my fault?" and the Queen looked angry again.

"Of course not, my Queen!" Eric inclined his head. "Only that circumstances sometimes work in strange ways. I knew you were aware of my Pledged. Her Grandfather informed me he would be calling you. I thought by pledging before you, you could put any worry Niall might have for his Granddaughter to rest. You can tell him she is content. Surely, that is worth something?"

It was smoothly done, but Sophie-Ann was no fool. She could see the beginnings of the manipulation forming. "So, this was all for my benefit?" She sounded mollified, but Eric wasn't a fool either. Sophie-Ann was well and truly angry. It was in the set of her shoulders and the tension vibrating through her children. Sigebert and Wybert had taken positions to either side of Eric's group. At a word, they could move in, using their massive strength to trap and crush.

"It was not meant to deceive you," Eric clarified. He glanced at Sookie, "You know I went to Boston for a month." Sookie's eyes shot to his. She'd known Eric had been there, just not how long he spent watching her. "I first met Sookie then. I didn't know who she was or her connections. I only knew she was Fae, but even that didn't matter to me."

"You're saying you're attached to her?" Andre smirked.

Eric held out his hand, willing Sookie to take it and she didn't disappoint him. Squeezing her fingers, he pulled Sookie to stand closer to his side. "I am," he replied.

"The great Eric Northman brought low by a Seelie or should I say, an almost-Seelie," Sophie-Ann stalked around them. "How quaint! How unexpected!" Eric didn't watch her, he kept his gaze focused on Andre. If the Queen ordered an attack now, it would be Andre who would move first.

"Not fully Fae, are you?" Sophie-Ann brought her face, fangs extended, close to Sookie, hoping to make the woman flinch, but Sookie didn't.

Through their fraying connection, Eric could feel Sookie's fear, but looking at her, he didn't see it. Her chin was up and her mouth pressed tight. Her shoulders were back and her eyes were clear. ' _Magnificent!_ ' he thought, pleased that fate had conspired to hand him this woman.

"Well, if those are the circumstances, I suppose I must wish you well," Sophie-Ann's voice changed to a purr. "How often is it that a vampire finds 'love' in its life?"

'Love' was not concept that vampires embraced. There was attraction, there was need, but 'love' was something reserved for the weak. "I am content with her, Majesty," Eric corrected. "We are well suited, and I believe my mate will serve you well."

"Will she?" and the hard edge was back. "And in what way, I wonder? I know some things about this creature, Sheriff." The Queen stalked back to her throne and draped herself across it, forcing Eric, Pam, and Sookie to turn in order to watch her. It was a move that allowed Wybert and Sigebert to reposition themselves and Eric could feel the threat of danger crawling across his skin.

"Your mate," and the Queen fastened her eye on Sookie, "arrived in this country on the arm of Breandan Brigant. Rogan is no friend to our kind, although he seems willing to make exceptions for you, Sheriff." Pam hissed, but Sophie-Ann waved her hand. "But, who doesn't? You have a rare talent for making friends, Northman, everyone says it." She signaled to Andre and he stepped away from where he'd been standing behind Pam's shoulder. "I'm thirsty," the Queen told him. "Go get me something fresh."

Andre walked behind the throne and the Queen continued, "We all heard about it. Brigant flaunted her in front of his wife and his Lover. There were jealous spats and unrest. No one could understand it. What was so important about this hybrid? I must confess, even I was surprised by Niall's admission. It wasn't until he explained that I put the pieces together. I remember the rumors of his unfortunate liaison and I certainly remember the Seelie war that followed! And now, she is here, Niall's bad penny returned to the scene of the crime."

There was a noise and Sookie jumped again. Eric squeezed her hand to give her courage. The tie between them was thinner, seeming to fade by the second and Eric doubted he could send her his comfort as he wished. Andre came from behind the throne leading a young girl. She was naked. Eric glanced at Sookie whose face went pale. "Look at me," he urged her. "Give me your eyes."

Sookie swallowed, still staring, and Eric wondered if she'd heard him, and then she lifted her chin. Her mouth trembled. "What…"

Eric shook his head, "Just watch me. Don't look."

Eric knew the Queen meant to shock Sookie. It was in how Sophie-Ann circled and stroked the girl, who was obviously glamoured. She tweaked the girl's small nipple and glanced back toward Eric and his people. When she saw that Sookie wasn't watching, her mouth turned down. The Queen fully extended her fangs and struck in a way designed to inflict maximum pain. The girl cried out and Sookie flinched.

"Watch me!" Eric warned Sookie. He sent her his pride and his courage, hoping she could feel even a little. Sookie bit her lip and he saw tears swimming in her eyes. "It will be over soon," he said, meaning to comfort her.

When the Queen realized she wouldn't get what she wished, she finished, but allowed the blood to drip from her mouth, red stains that blossomed like poppies on her white dress. Walking proudly down the steps of her dais, she stopped once she was close to Sookie. Eric flicked his eyes toward her, but said nothing. "You want me to believe this is a love match?" Sophie-Ann snarled. "You who talks to everyone, except, it seems, your Pledged? Look at her! She knows nothing of our ways! Love? In what way do you define it, Sheriff? I can barely smell anything of you in her!"

Eric readied himself to say something, but Sookie's chin jutted and her eyes darkened. She whirled to face the Queen, her hands rising to fist against her hips. "What?" she demanded. "Now you're going to criticize us because I wanted to wait? Because I wanted my wedding night with Eric to be special? He cares enough about me to care what I think, which is something loving people do, not that I'd expect you to understand!"

The Queen stepped back, her face registering first surprise and then darkening. "She meant no disrespect, Majesty!" Eric hastened to apologize. "You are right! She doesn't know our ways. My Sookie is passionate in her beliefs and her loyalty. This is my fault and I will teach her."

"You were saving yourself for him?" Sophie-Ann seemed to find that amusing. "How quaint! Tell me, Hybrid, in which way were you saving yourself? You are no virgin! If you knew anything about us, you wouldn't try such a blatant lie!" The Queen tapped the end of her nose, giving Sookie a too vivid idea of how she knew Sookie's state.

"Having something be special, something worth waiting for, isn't just about sex," Sookie said civilly.

"Too true," the Queen replied. "And you are wrong. I do understand deeper emotions." She gestured and Andre drew close to her. She kissed her Child, transferring wet blood from her face to his. They smiled gently at each other, but when Sophie-Ann turned back to Eric and Sookie, her face was hard and her tone matched. "You think you are both so smart with your fact twisting, but let me tell you what I know! I know that Niall Brigant wasn't expecting to be confronted by his indiscretion. He may have fallen prey to your ancestor, Miss Stackhouse, but when he was done with her, he was perfectly happy to leave her an ocean away! Now, his darling brother, whose hatred every vampire knows, has found you. Old Niall must have had a few sleepless nights, wondering if Rogan would put you on display before his kingdom."

"My Grandfather…" Sookie started, her temper clearly up, but Eric stopped her. He grasped her shoulder and she closed her mouth, biting back harsh words.

The Queen watched their interplay through narrowing eyes. "Your Grandfather paid a fortune to Rogan and his perfect Seelie courtiers decided that taking a 'don't ask, don't tell' attitude would be best for everyone. But something's changed!" Sophie-Ann started stalking around Eric and Sookie, tapping her finger against her lips, "What is it? Maybe 'Grandfather' tired of paying tribute for you. Maybe he decided it was time to steal you away from Rogan."

"No one stole me!" Sookie huffed. "Like I told you, being with Eric is my choice!"

"Of course, you discovered your 'love' for a vampire!" the Queen sniffed. "How quickly did that happen? Was is before you wore Brigant's token, or does Breandan believe you are his still? Does he even know you are here?"

Sophie-Ann didn't wait for an answer. "I'll tell you what I believe. I think Niall Brigant tired of paying tribute. He offered you something, Sheriff," and Sophie-Ann smiled at Eric, "Something you saw as being of value. What was it? A concession? Unlimited access to his territory so you could open businesses, making up for the ones you'd be losing? Of course, the price wouldn't be too high. You do get this thrown into the bargain." The Queen transferred her satisfied smirk to Sookie, "You know how appealing your blood is to our kind, don't you? Even part Fae, you would be delectable!" When Sookie's eyes widened, Sophie turned back to Eric. "Whatever it was, you have succeeded in bringing her here, parking her in my kingdom, and tempting trouble. What's to say her presence doesn't spark another war? If she does, it will be fought on my lands, among my people!"

"Rogan wouldn't break the treaty he has with you, Majesty," Eric replied.

"That you've thought about that tells me everything I need to know!" the Queen declared.

"All it says is that I have taken the time to consider the consequences of my actions," Eric replied. "Thinking ahead is one of the reasons I have survived so long."

It was a low blow, reminding the Queen of his age, and he knew he'd hit the mark when her eyes narrowed again. "And yet, you were willing to take the risk both for yourself and your Queen!" she hissed. She walked some more and Eric could see her turning something over in her head.

"While I appreciate your assurances, Northman, you must see things from my perspective," Sophie-Ann returned to her throne and sat down. "Niall was willing to pay a great deal to keep his brother quiet. All he offered me was some future wish and that seems thin payment in view of the potential danger." Eric felt his caution rise as the Queen continued. "There's also a rumor that the lovely Miss Stackhouse possesses a wild magic and her Grandfather asked for permission to visit her here. Why? To train her?" She leaned back and steepled her fingers, "I would be foolish not to have some assurance, some guarantee that Miss Stackhouse presents no danger to my kingdom. For all I know, she's put you under her spell. It would explain a great deal, after all, you've refused to pledge before!"

Eric drew himself up. Sophie-Ann was leading up to something. She cocked her head and waited, but he said nothing. Eric knew it was best to hear what the Queen proposed, and so he allowed the silence to stretch between them. Sookie stood at his side and he sensed Pam stepping closer. "A blood tie," Sophie-Ann finally said. "I want her to form a tie with Wybert. You will allow my Child to drink from her once a week, not much, just enough to keep an eye on her!"

"No!" and Eric instinctively pulled Sookie a little behind him.

"You would defy me?" the Queen snarled.

Eric knew he was in a corner. The Queen's request was reasonable in many ways. Sophie-Ann hadn't suggested Wybert give his blood to Sookie, so there would be no element of control to interfere with her decisions. What the blood tie would do was place Sookie on a leash, her movements and emotions under constant surveillance. "Perhaps you doubt my loyalty?" Eric asked again.

"You have sworn me your fealty," Sophie-Ann conceded.

"And offered you my blood," Eric reminded her. "I would take Sookie's place, if it's a demonstration you require."

Pam hissed and beside him, Sookie gasped. "Interesting," Sophie-Ann shrugged, "but it doesn't solve the problem, does it? I already know you. The danger," and Sophie-Ann nodded toward Sookie, "would still be unknown, that is…" and she smiled. Her eyes flicked around and her children began to smile, too.

"It would be an elegant solution," Andre said. Eric had long believed the Queen enjoyed an almost telepathic link with her children. Behind him, Wybert and Sigebert started to laugh, and now Eric was sure.

"I hear she can't be glamoured," the Queen was smiling. "So, since you 'love' her so dearly, bonding isn't too much to expect. After all, as your bonded mate, you would have dominion over her."

Eric could see Sookie bristling. He pushed her calm, but between his own troubled emotions and the erosion of their tie, he doubted she could feel it. Bonded! It would link him to Sookie in a permanent way and she to him. If they bonded now, before he turned her, there would be a problem. It meant an eventual death sentence for one or the other. Couples who bonded before one became vampire rarely survived the other's final death. It was a sequence in steps that only the most devoted couples took. But, couples who bonded without both turning suffered as well. If Sookie remained human, Eric would be forced to share her aging and she would learn to regret his eternal youth. When she died, it would be a hole in his existence that would never fill, even if he bonded with another. The few vampires who had chosen this path eventually despaired and met the sun.

Eric thought of the repercussions and the simple cruelty of the Queen's plan. He realized there was nothing he could do, so he replied, "Of course, I had planned on discussing this with Sookie," Eric tried to play for time. "Still, as you are aware, there is a preferred sequence to things."

"Oh, so you were planning on turning her?" Sophie-Ann guessed. Sookie pulled her hand from his and he could see his plans unraveling with his Pledged's rising temper. "I wonder what Niall would think of your little plan? Or were you keeping that a secret?" Sookie was staring at him, her mouth opening, and the Queen laughed out loud. "It would seem you didn't both informing your Pledged either, Sheriff. Was that the little surprise you had planned for your wedding night? You should have told me. I would have dug you a hole."

"No," Eric exclaimed and set his hands on Sookie's shoulders. He turned her toward him. "No. I would never turn you, Sookie, not unless you asked it of me. I promise you."

Sookie nodded and Eric nodded back. "Well, then," the Queen interrupted, "You know your options, Sheriff."

"You could always send your little hybrid back to the Americas," Andre offered.

"But he wouldn't do that," Sophie-Ann drawled. "He won't because he 'loves' her, don't you, Eric? You won't send her back to be hunted and trapped again. Of course, you could go with her, but you owe me an oath of fealty. Fifty more years unless I release you and we both know that isn't likely. If you ran with her, you'd be an oath-breaker. Every supernatural with an itch for money or adventure would be looking for you and they wouldn't be too particular if your mate got in the way."

Eric was trapped and for one, wild, moment, he considered delivering Sookie here and allowing Wybert to feed from her, and then, he thought of what that would mean for her, for them. "You have my word that we will bond," Eric said.

"What are you saying?" Sookie challenged.

"I will explain it when we are home," Eric told her. He bowed and taking Sookie's hand, he turned as if to leave, but Sophie-Ann was not having it.

"Where do you think you're going, Sheriff?" she asked. When Eric stilled, she added, "After such a declaration? The least I can do is to offer you the hospitality of my home. Andre, surely, we can find a room for our happy couple? Someplace they can celebrate?"

"You are most kind," Eric bowed, "but I have prepared my home here in Ballytyne…"

"I insist," Sophie-Anne interrupted. "You have promised to bond with your mate? I expect to find it's done when we rise tomorrow. And because I care about you," and she smirked at Eric, "I will make sure you are guarded just in case it turns out she really is a spy and a danger to us all."

"You are welcome to rest with me," Andre offered Pam.

"Too kind," Pam smiled, but she didn't look happy.

"This way," Wybert growled and Eric realized there was no choice. Wybert started to walk toward a hallway, not waiting to see if Eric and Sookie followed.

"What's going on, Eric?" Sookie hissed.

"You are going to have to trust me," Eric replied. He took her arm and linked it through his and then laid his hand over hers. Sookie was doing well, but he wasn't sure how much longer that would last. They walked down a corridor and took a right and Eric had a sinking feeling he knew where they were going. When they stopped outside the door Eric remembered, he said, "Surely, there's another room."

Wybert gave his dry, choking laugh, "You made the Little Mother angry. You should have agreed to let me taste her. Now you're trapped by your own lies, Viking." He opened the door and stood back.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

The room she entered was every bad romance novel Sookie had ever read. The walls were covered in red wallpaper flocked with black designs and the middle of the room was dominated by a large, round bed. There seemed to be a hundred lights, all aimed to draw the eye. There were spotlights highlighting equipment that lined the walls, and the surface of the bed glowed. Sookie saw spanking benches and a cross, swings, and things whose function she could only guess at.

"What is wrong with you people?" Sookie hissed. "And what's with you promising to do this bonding thing without even asking me?" and she shoved Eric in her frustration.

Throughout the nightmare in the throne room, she felt Eric, but not strongly. By the time the Queen decided to send them here, Sookie couldn't feel the vampire at all. She wondered if it was the strength of her own anger or her adrenaline that burned through what was left of the tie between them. Either way, it didn't matter. What did matter was she was in this nasty place, expected to 'bond,' and her new husband had made that decision for her.

Eric glanced around before moving to the first piece of equipment. He reached up to the light fixture and twisted. Once the light was extinguished, he went to the next and repeated his movements. "This was unexpected," he said after a bit. "I did not anticipate Sophie-Ann would force a bond between us."

"Why?" Sookie asked. She watched him as he worked his way around the room. She was still angry, but Eric turning the lights off meant that whatever this bonding thing entailed, it wouldn't include any of these devices and she felt a little happier about that.

Eric looked away. Sookie didn't need the tie to see he was considering how to frame his answer. "The Queen has long wished me for her own. Bonding to another removes that possibility," he explained. Sookie examined his face and she believed he was being truthful about this.

"Well, no problem," Sookie shrugged. "I refuse. I'm not bonding to anyone."

Eric glanced around the room before looking back at Sookie. "She is my Queen," Eric told her. "It is my duty to follow her orders."

"Well!" and Sookie thought about how she'd been bullied in the throne room. She accepted that people seemed to think she was in some kind of danger, but the idea that she would have to trade the bullying she'd received from Mae at The Grand for the bullying of some Vampire Queen made her blood boil. "She may be your Queen, Eric, but she sure as hell isn't mine!"

Eric was across the room so fast Sookie didn't see him move. He grabbed her hand and held it up, so his ring was before her face, "When you handed me the knife, in front of this Queen, you agreed to join yourself to me. We are pledged, Sookie, and that means you are required to uphold my loyalties."

"So, what? So, I have to do what you say and jump when you tell me?" Sookie hissed. "What kind of backward…"

"If I had offered you the knife in front of your people, I would have been agreeing to follow your customs," Eric said, heading Sookie off.

"Well," and Sookie licked her lips and swallowed before saying, "Would have been nice if someone had explained that."

"If it was possible, Sookie, if Sophie-Ann agreed to release me and Niall allowed you to stand before his Court, I would have done that," Eric assured her. Sookie was pretty sure Eric didn't really mean it, but at least he made the effort to say it. "Things are what they are," he continued. "We are pledged and you are under the protection of my people. Our Queen," and he emphasized the word, "has demanded we prove that ours is a love match."

"She really doesn't trust you, does she?" Sookie asked.

Eric chuckled. He walked back to where he'd left off with the spotlights, getting back to work. "It's understandable, in a way. I am much older than her. Vampires in my position are generally higher in the hierarchy. I have not wished to climb. It makes those above me nervous."

"I don't get it. If you could be King, why not?" Sookie asked.

"I don't like the politics," Eric shrugged. "I'd be forced to stay in one place, holding Court. Being Sheriff suits me."

"All the authority, but none of the responsibility?" Sookie huffed. "You sound like a spoiled trust fund baby."

"What?" Eric cocked his head to the side, staring at her.

"Boys in college who came from money," Sookie explained. "They didn't apply themselves, never worked too hard. They wore the best clothes and made fun of everyone, but you just knew they'd have good jobs no matter how badly they performed. They felt themselves entitled, and they made it hell on the rest of us who had to work for our positions."

"You have a poor opinion of your husband," Eric smirked. He turned off the last spotlight, and then started on the lights that outlined the bed.

"I wouldn't call it a poor opinion, exactly," Sookie said, her voice weakening. The room was getting darker and Sookie realized that was leading to the thing she said she wouldn't do. "It's just, I don't know what's coming and I'm nervous."

Eric was in front of her then, "I think you know what's coming," he told her. "I also think you know me well enough to know I will take care of you." He stepped back, standing under one of the remaining lights and started to unbutton his shirt. He held her eyes, steady, strong, never wavering as Sookie felt her heart start racing and her nervousness take hold. When he finished, pulling the shirt from his pants, allowing it to hang open, he unbuttoned his cuffs and folded them back. "Do you find me beautiful?" he asked.

"That's a stupid question," Sookie replied. She could hear the waver in her voice, so she dug deep, lifting her chin. "I don't want to do this," she told him.

"I wish I had a choice as well," he replied. "I thought that when we joined, it would be later. We would have spent many more nights talking. You would have become used to me. I confess to you, Sookie. I have dreamed of you coming to me, asking me to make you mine. It is you that reaches out and takes my hand, as you did in the park the first time you kissed me. I regret having that dream stolen."

Sookie's eyes darted to the fetish equipment around them. "Don't," Eric ordered. "Don't look there. Look at me." He took his shirt off. He didn't move toward her. "I will follow your lead," he told her.

"We could just say we did it," Sookie whispered.

"We will be checked," he replied, telling her what she already knew. "Look at me, Älskade. When I saw you tonight, so brave, no one else existed for me. You have captured me, Sookie, and from tonight, I will have no other."

"But it's not what you want," Sookie cried.

"You don't know that," Eric told her. He smiled at her and rocked back on his heels, allowing his muscles to ripple. Sookie couldn't help it. There were a lot of muscles. Then he did something unexpected. Eric Northman cocked his head and recited,

Come live with me, and be my love:

And we will all the pleasures prove

By shallow rivers to whose falls

Melodious birds sing madrigals.

And I will make thee beds of roses

With a thousand fragrant posies.

"I know that," Sookie smiled. "But you're missing words."

"Christopher Marlowe was my friend," Eric told her. "We kept company, once upon a time. I hope you don't mind that I borrowed his words to say what I wish." When Sookie didn't move, Eric told her, "Vampires speak eloquently of need and desire. We can tell you in many ways what we covet or what we wish to take. Our words are not so many when it comes to the place I now find myself. What I wish from you is not something I can take, nor something I can demand."

"What do you wish from me?" Sookie asked, half fearing and half hoping to hear the answer.

"I wish you to come to me," he shrugged. "I wish you to take my hand, as I dreamed. I wish this to be your choice. I have no desire to force you."

"Would you?" It was something she needed to know.

"I wish to continue living," Eric told her and Sookie felt her heart sink, "but that would destroy what honor I have. No, I will not force you. Instead, I will trust you not to condemn me to my final death."

"Jeez, guilt spill, aisle three," Sookie stuttered, her nerves dancing.

"Will you, Sookie?" There was that small smile playing over his face and Eric extended his hand to her.

Sookie thought about leaving. She thought of refusing him, but she knew she wouldn't. This was Eric, the man she kissed, even when she shouldn't. This was Eric, the man her eyes followed. There were so many good reasons she should refuse to cooperate, but none of them seemed to matter.

"No," Sookie told him. She could see his disappointment, but then she reached up and started pulling the pins from her hair. Eric's eyes lifted and his fangs peeked from behind his upper lip. One by one, she found each pin, pulling and dropping it to the floor. Sookie pulled the combs and when her hair finally fell, she shook her head so her curls would lie more naturally. Sookie lifted her chin and holding out her hand, she said, "Eric Northman, I desire you. Will you come to me?"

He didn't rush. He moved forward with that rolling gait that reminded Sookie more of stalking than walking. He let her see each stage of his approach and when he reached her, he took her hand and raised it, kissing her knuckles. His eyes dropped to sweep over her as he stroked her cheek with his hand.

"License my roving hands and let them go," he whispered. He leaned down to kiss her forehead, and then, rubbed his cheek along the curve of her cheek. Sookie could smell him and it reminded her of the sea. He captured the lobe of her ear and nibbled, sending the most delightful shivers through her. "Before, behind, above, below," he whispered. His hands ghosted down her arms and his lips continued to explore first her jaw and then her neck. He was behind her and she heard the zipper of her dress opening. "O, my America, my Newfoundland," he continued.

Sookie dress slipped from her shoulders and Eric's lips moved to her shoulder, following the silk. "My kingdom, safest when, with one man mann'd; My mine of precious stones, my empery!" and Eric's hands encircled her, drawing her back against him. He used one arm around her waist, pulling her so she could feel his hard length against her back. With his other hand, he pulled down the cup of her bra, then captured her breast, teasing her nipple. Sookie moaned. He was moving against her, rising and falling, simulating what was to come. His lips and fangs lightly scored her neck and he whispered, "How am I blest in thus discovering thee."

Eric's tongue slid skillfully back to trace the veins of her neck, followed by teeth, and Sookie hooked her arm up, arching her breast more fully into the vampire's hand as she turned her head, capturing his lips with her own.

His kiss never failed to engage her. Sookie closed her eyes and lost herself in the way his lips moved. He nipped her lower lip, then sucked it. He traced her mouth with his tongue and then sucked her own, not too hard, just hard enough. "Eric!" she groaned.

"I would worship you," he told her. "I would have you rise above me and below me. I intend to mark you as my own."

He walked back around her, his hands everywhere, smoothing, teasing. "And what would you be to me?" Sookie asked. It was hard to speak sensibly, but there were questions she needed to ask.

"I will be your husband, your Lover, your bonded," he told her.

Sookie captured the hand that was playing with her nipple and twined her fingers with his. "Tell me about bonding," she commanded.

Eric smiled, but he never stopped touching her. "We will exchange," he rumbled as he captured her ear lobe again, and then kissed and rubbed the hollow just beneath it with his nose. "It will involve more blood than before. There are some who say that when the bond forms, they feel transported to somewhere else, a place where there is light and loving."

'Is that what you think?" Sookie asked him.

"I intend that we should find out, together," he replied and Sookie had no doubt that 'together' was meant in more than a metaphorical way. Her breathing became labored. She wondered how this man was able to make her feel so intensely. She thought of how she reacted to Breandan and, in that instant, she felt guilty. Somehow, in spite of their near absent link, Eric knew. "Stay with me," he whispered. "Feel my hands on you. Feel my need for you." It pulled Sookie away from her thoughts, away from any other sensation but him and now.

Somehow her panties were gone. The garter belt was in place, along with the heels, but his fingers were stroking her bare sex and Sookie moaned aloud as his fingers plucked and pulled.

"Yes, my Lover," he encouraged, "Feel me. Feel my desire."

He backed Sookie up slowly, inch by slow inch, until her legs hit the edge of the bed. Eric's head bent, his mouth taking in first one nipple and then the other. "You are so sensitive," he praised. "Your body dances for me, my Sookie." He lowered her, his arms around her so strong that Sookie never worried about falling. There was something about it, knowing he had the ability to control their movements. It made Sookie feel safe. "Raise your legs," he breathed against her stomach. He helped her bring her heeled feet to the bed.

"Let your knees fall apart, Lover," he sighed. "Let me see you open before me."

Sookie felt half-drunk. She watched him from beneath hooded eyes as he lowered his pants, standing at the end of the bed. His sex was larger than she anticipated and it made her feel both nervous and anxious. He was laughing, and she held out her hand to him. "I told you I wanted you," she reminded him.

He kneeled between her legs and she tensed as he came over her, but it wasn't his cock that found her entrance. He inserted first one finger, and then another, pumping within her, playing her clit with his thumb. "I am a large man," he told her as he watched her eyes. "You are so tight and I wish you to enjoy our joining."

When he scissored his fingers Sookie wasn't sure if it was pain or pleasure, the feeling balancing so delicately between the two. What she did know was she seemed to be out of breath. She was running for some distant goal, and when Eric's mouth returned to her breasts, alternately sucking and biting, she found it. She arched under him, her feet pushing from the mattress, forcing his fingers deeper as her pussy clenched around him, her juices flowing around his fingers and down her thighs. "Eric!" she gasped.

"I am here, my Lover," he assured her. "I am here with you." He was closer now, his fingers gone, replaced with the blunt head of his cock. "Feel me in you," he whispered and his arms, so muscled and defined, were fencing her, his legs lifting her thighs as he opened her even further to him. He moved slowly. There were moments when the slide of him stretched her beyond bearing and he knew it. He watched her eyes and when they widened, his thumb found her clit, rubbing, pressing, until she relaxed around him.

It seemed to take forever. There were moments he withdrew, only to press forward again, each time moving further within her. "You are tight, my wife," he sighed at one point. It occurred to Sookie it was the first time he had called her that and she smiled at him.

"Husband," she called. He withdrew again, and then pressed forward and she felt his balls against her.

He groaned, "Please, Sookie! Please," and he was moving within her. It was uncomfortable, and then pleasurable, and then it was something that took her from herself, losing all thought as she moved with him, one moment, one body, one.

She knew on some level she was calling his name, her nails buried in his back, her heels dug into his hips. He was moving over her, his head thrown back, and then his mouth open, his fangs extended. "Sookie!" he cried again, the veins in his neck standing out.

"Yes!" she cried, "Now!" She didn't know why she said it, but he pressed into her, arching his back and drew his nail across his chest. There was a bright arc of blood and he cupped her neck with his hand, drawing her to him.

"Drink, my mate," he gasped, "Drink."

And she did. She felt it when he sank his fangs into her neck, but it was the feel of him stretching her, massaging her, that brought her with him, her orgasm grabbing her so strongly, she was robbed of breath. She was an endless wave, rolling over him and with him. Finally, her breath returned in ragged, breathy gasps. Her nipples so hard they ached as his chest rubbed past her, his hips forcing her legs further apart, Once, twice, and he threw his head back, his fangs bloody, his length pulsing within her. It was the most primal moment she had ever known and Sookie's inner voice told her, with no doubt, she had found her mate.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

He had brought her leg over him, which seemed silly. She was leaking, which meant he was getting sticky, too, but Eric seemed content with it. She could tell. It was like the tie, only more, somehow. "It doesn't feel so raw," Sookie mentioned, rubbing her thigh over his, enjoying the feel of his hair against her freshly-shaved skin, "Different."

"It is pleasurable," Eric rumbled. Her head was on his shoulder and he was massaging her scalp with his massive hand. "I had not thought it would feel so refined."

It was a good word for the bond. The tie was intense in feeling. This was much more comfortable, something a person could live with for a long time. "Is this really forever?" Sookie asked.

"Yes, min hustru." Eric sounded blissed out.

"What's 'min hustru?' That's a new one." Sookie asked, looking up so she could see his face.

"My wife," Eric smiled, and then he took a deep breath. His eyes closed and he looked very happy.

"I didn't know you needed to breath," Sookie remarked.

"I don't," he sighed, "I just enjoy your scent, the scent of us together. It is calming."

Sookie rolled over enough to be able to look into the vampire's face, "So, you're okay with this?"

"I am content," he said, his eyes closed. He looked as if that was true, but Sookie could feel that there was something moving just under the feelings he seemed to be sending that wasn't content.

"I can tell you're not telling me the whole truth," she sniffed.

"I am telling you how I feel," and he cracked an eye, making a face to let her know how wrong she was.

It didn't matter, Sookie could feel what was real and what was real was not full-on happiness. "Whatever," she whispered and she found herself being reminded of Breandan's masque. This bond was like that, it showed you what was on the surface and what lay beneath.

"We are more closely bonded than I anticipated," Eric grumbled and sat up. "You will need to learn to sift primary concerns from lesser ones," he told her. "It is the first thing a Child is taught by its Maker. We all have many feelings about the things we experience. If you focus on those that are less important, you will misinterpret and become confused."

"Hide all you want," Sookie huffed. "Tell me I don't know what I'm feeling, if that makes you feel better," and she rolled over and away from him.

"Fine!" Eric growled, "I am not entirely content about our bonding." When Sookie rolled back to look at him, he nodded once. "It is permanent. You are not vampire. That means there will be complications in the future that were not necessary."

"Like what?" Sookie asked. She sat up cross-legged beside him and drew a sheet up to drape over her.

Eric sighed, and then flopped on his back. He placed his hands behind his head looking very comfortable and very naked. He explained to Sookie how the bond linked them, day by day, further entwining their emotions until eventually they would have a hard time functioning without the other. "It is a deep commitment," he explained. "Were you vampire, the risk would be that one of us would meet the final death. The loss of one in a bonded pair is terrible, but it is possible for the survivor to continue."

"But I'm not vampire," Sookie pointed out.

"No, you are not. If you remain as you are, you will age and when you are finally lost, I will mourn you for the rest of my immortal life." Eric met her eyes. "Because we are bonded, when you are gone, a part of me will be gone as well."

"Does it make me terrible that I kind of like that idea?" Sookie asked.

"It shows you have a streak of cruelty," Eric smirked. "You have the makings of a true vampire."

That reminded Sookie of things she'd heard tonight. "What did the Queen mean when she asked you about turning me? Would you do that?" Sookie first felt Eric's unease, and then his resignation.

"I promised you I wouldn't, not without your consent," he replied, "but you might consider allowing me to amend that promise. What if you are injured? I have said it before, you are trouble, Sookie. Trouble follows you. You have been badly damaged once already. Rogan will be angry and he is capable of killing. If you were to be injured again, it might be the only way to save you."

"Which would save you," Sookie pointed out.

"Which, being a cruel person, means nothing to you," Eric teased.

"Ouch!" Sookie retorted. "Actually, Mr. Northman, it might interest you to know that the fact that you'd consider turning me is kind of flattering." When Eric expressed his skepticism, Sookie explained, "Pam told me about how of all the people you'd met, you saw something unique in her and you turned her. She doesn't regret it. In fact, she says it's the best thing ever."

"You'd welcome it?" and Eric's surprise was turning to delight.

"No," Sookie huffed. "Not now. Maybe not ever, but I'm not ruling it out. I just don't know enough about any of this to say one way or the other."

"A Fae vampire," Eric declared, and then, he giggled. There was no other word for it. "A Faepire!" he gasped.

"Are you drunk?" and Sookie's eyes narrowed.

"Maybe," Eric sighed and he closed his eyes, "A little. Fae blood is intoxicating to us and you are more Fae than human."

"Says you," Sookie snorted. "Guess the joke's really on me. Not Fae enough for the Fae, but too Fae for vampires."

Eric stretched then. It was a full body stretch involving many muscle groups, and it left Sookie feeling a little dopey herself. He had his arm over his eyes, but Sookie could see a glint. She was pretty sure he knew the effect he had on her, but then he did close his eyes. He seemed to have gone into some trance, almost like sleep, and Sookie suddenly found herself alone in her emotions and feeling self-conscious. "I'm going to find a bathroom," she announced, suddenly anxious to get away from him.

Eric didn't move and Sookie wondered if somewhere it was dawn and she'd just seen him fall into his day death. That's what Pam called it, but then Eric moved. He waved toward the other side of the room and said, "Over there." Sookie saw a door in the direction Eric had signaled. Sookie crawled off the bed, taking the sheet, and wrapping it around her. It seemed silly, after all, he'd seen everything, but looking back at non-responsive Eric, she was starting to feel self-conscious.

She used the toilet and glanced at the shower. She considered using it, then thought of the vampire on the bed outside. The love-making had been intense, taking her places she'd never gone, but it occurred to her that he seemed in no hurry to go there again. He'd rocked her world, but Sookie started to worry that maybe she hadn't quite measured up. "He's a thousand years old," she whispered and in that moment, Sookie felt miserable.

"Sookie?" He called to her.

"Fucking bond," Sookie sniffed to herself before calling out, "I'm okay." She cleaned up and washed her hands. She looked in the mirror to find racoon eyes where her mascara had smeared and her hair ratted up on one side. Misery turned to humiliation, so Sookie ran the water, washing off Claudine's makeup. There was no brush, so she used her fingers to smooth her hair as best she could. "Wow! Real beauty queen," she told her reflection.

When she walked back into the horror of a bedroom, Eric was using his phone to flip through emails. He glanced at her, "What is it? You don't feel happy."

"Nothing," Sookie shrugged, wondering if she could make a place for herself on the far side of the bed.

He dropped his phone, "Your nothings are big things." He held out his hand and Sookie dragged her way back toward him. He pulled her until she was close, and then he pulled her again so she was lying against him. He arranged her, placing her head on his chest, and placing her hand on his chest. "I like you here," he purred. He started to drop back into that comatose state, seemingly content, and Sookie couldn't help it. She felt disappointed.

"What is it?" Eric growled. He sat up, tumbling her over on her back.

"Nothing," she said again, gathering the sheet to cover herself again. He was still staring, and so Sookie said, "Look, I get it. You were obligated. We, I mean. We were obligated. You did what you had to. I guess, I just…"

Eric was watching her carefully and she felt even smaller. Maybe it was because she was mostly naked, lying next to a gorgeous man, a man who seemed perfectly content making love to her only once. It wasn't what she was used to. Breandan would…and her face burned.

"You are not happy," he told her. "You are…" and he looked closely at her again. "Tell me what you are feeling, Sookie! Your emotions are too tangled. I can't interpret them."

"It's nothing," she said for the third time. "I guess… I guess I just thought somehow this would be different."

Eric looked honestly confused. "Are you disappointed that I didn't give you a honeymoon?" he asked. "Pam said…"

"A what?" Sookie blinked. "No!" She looked around, "I'm being foolish. I don't have any right. I mean we got talked into this arranged marriage and you got tricked into bonding to me. I can see this wouldn't be anything you wanted, I mean, you told me you wouldn't have bonded with me. I'm just tired, that's all."

Eric's eyes narrowed, "You are worried," he said almost to himself. He seemed to be reading her emotions like another would taste wine, rolling them around and dissecting their flavors. His eyes weren't looking at her, instead they were focused on the task at hand, and that task seemed to be sorting Sookie. "You are not content. Are you feeling…regret?"

"Not exactly," Sookie sighed. "I just…" 

"I did not wish to force you," Eric pronounced and he gave her a more direct look.

"I don't feel forced by you," Sookie blustered.

Eric was leaning toward her, "And you are not regretting me," he stated.

"No," Sookie licked her lips. "You'd know it if I were!"

And Eric laughed. It was a startling sound and Sookie found herself smiling. She realized in some hazy way that what was making her happy was Eric's own sense of triumph. His hand came up to cup her sex, "And you agree that this is mine?" he asked, his face suddenly close to hers.

"Uh…" Sookie stammered.

Eric took her hand, placing it against him. He was hard again and Sookie wondered that she hadn't seen it. "And I agree that this is yours," he assured her. "Perhaps you would feel better if you took possession of it." He smiled and his eyes were brilliant. It was as though flood gates opened and Sookie felt Eric's desire and affection wash over her. "You thought I didn't want you?" he hissed. "You thought I lacked interest? I didn't wish to hurry you, but I can see that hiding my needs was a mistake!" He was over her, his mouth smiling in a way that reminded her more of the Big Bad Wolf than any Prince Charming. "You are passionate, my wife. It's not what I expected, but I should have known better. You always seem to surprise me!"

What followed was joyous. Sookie found herself jumping up at one point when a particularly athletic position had her inner thigh cramping. Eric just fed her more of his blood and bent her into another pretzel shape. They fucked and laughed, and fucked some more. When Sookie made an embarrassing sound, Eric burst into song about the joy of flatulence and they giggled and teased, until their joy turned to lust and they found their rhythm again.

She was atop him when he sighed, "Dawn has come, my wild woman! I will need to leave you soon."

He sped up, stroking and plucking until she gripped him. He opened his wrist and as she fed, he sat up so he could sink his fangs into her breast. They came, he with a roar and she calling his name, before collapsing together into the tangled sheets.

"I am yours," he whispered to her. They were the same words Breandan had given her once, but when Eric Northman said them, they weren't the same at all.

"I'm yours, too," Sookie sighed and she kissed his cheek, only to find that Eric Northman was gone.


	29. Chapter 28 - Mrs Northman

**Chapter 28- Mrs. Northman**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Falling asleep was strange. One minute Eric was 'there,' in her thoughts and the next he was just gone. Sookie was astride him, sweaty and satisfied, and it was as though when he disappeared, so did she. That's why she was so surprised to awaken on her side, spooned into him, his cool heavy arm around her. What was more surprising was Sookie experienced no moment of confusion. She didn't wonder where she was or whom she was with, she knew right away.

It took some twisting to escape Eric's grip, but once she did, he flopped over onto his back. Sookie scrambled to the edge of the bed and ran to the bathroom. Nothing hurt, although plenty should have, and she couldn't stop grinning, thinking about last night. "Hussy!" she play-scolded, but she couldn't hide her satisfaction.

As she washed her hands, she stared at herself in the mirror. It was the same old Sookie looking back, but she didn't feel like the same old Sookie underneath. The old Sookie, maybe the real Sookie, was practical. She thought things through and didn't let herself get pushed into situations. The old Sookie held off getting engaged to Breandan, even though her dying Mother wished it. The old Sookie didn't take a ring from one man and then marry another, the ring barely off her finger, but the woman staring back at her had just done all those things.

Sookie turned around and her thighs stuck together. Rolling her eyes, she stepped into the shower and turned on the water. "Guess it doesn't matter that you're mostly dead," she said aloud, and then snort-laughed. She'd used a line from one of her favorite movies, "The Princess Bride." "Westley!" she exclaimed, thinking of Eric's bright blond hair and blue eyes, and then she laughed some more. Running her soapy hands over her breasts, she trilled, "Inconceivable!" and then, "This is true love, do you think that happens every day?" and after she said it, Sookie stilled, allowing the water to run over her.

"Is it?" she asked the water. "Is that what this is?" It seemed so unlikely, but, just standing here, Sookie felt the loneliness of not feeling him. ' _Forever_ ,' her inner voice told her. For the rest of her life, she would never walk alone. Eric Northman would be with her, at the edge of her thoughts, sending her feelings and sharing his own and that was daunting.

There were towels and several short robes hanging on hooks, so Sookie took advantage of them. Climbing back on the bed, she kneeled next to Eric. There were still lights on above her, and Sookie couldn't help allowing her eyes to wander over the vampire. His feet were large, but narrow. His arms were muscled, but not too much, and his shoulders and chest put every other man she'd ever seen to shame. Across his chest was a light dusting of curly, blond hair and Sookie ran her fingers through it, trailing down over his stomach, following the happy trail to where his penis lay over his hip. He wasn't circumcised, which didn't surprise her. The hair around his sex was matted and Sookie considered getting a washcloth to clean him up, then dismissed the idea. She ran her fingertips over his thighs and then his calves, moving around the bed and looking at him from all angles. "Husband," she tried out the word and it made her breath catch.

He was so different from Breandan. She felt guilty comparing them, but she wasn't sure how she could avoid it. Positioning herself back near his shoulder, Sookie stilled, twisting the heavy gold band on her finger and thinking. She thought of the way her eyes searched for Eric at Ghoul's Kiss. She thought about Eric when he was a dog back in Boston, and how he saved her. "You keep doing that, don't you?" she asked his inert form.

Sookie ran her fingers over the round, white scar on her own abdomen where Eric had bitten away the burning skin when she was stabbed with that iron knife. It reminded her, and she examined him, looking for scars. She reasoned if Eric really had been a Viking, he would have scars too, but if he'd earned any, they were well hidden.

"You were the first one to help me out," she said out loud, thinking of how Eric hired her as his bookkeeper and gave her waitressing hours so she could earn money to buy her dream. Of course, he didn't always make her happy. After meeting her Grandfather, she stopped talking to Eric, sure it was the end for them. She was angry that Eric hid things from her, and then Breandan took her sailing. "I don't know why I said yes to Breandan," Sookie confessed. "Maybe it was because I was so disappointed in you."

On a whim, Sookie leaned over and kissed Eric's still lips, "But this feels different. I should be regretting this, but I'm not. Not yet."

Behind her, the door opened, and Sookie jumped. A man wearing a dog collar and gym shorts dropped a tray on the table next to the door. "Dinner," he grunted and without another word, left, locking the door behind him.

Sookie pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. "It really feels like I stepped through a rabbit hole," she told Eric's silent form. "You never made me feel like all those bad movies about vampires were real, but now I'm not so sure." Sookie glanced back at the door and then laid down next to Eric, placing her cheek against his arm. She had no expectation, but just touching him made her feel safer, and then, something unexpected happened. He twitched and for one, brief, moment, she felt him in her head, his feelings reaching for her, and it made everything better.

Sookie waited, wondering if she'd feel him again, but she didn't, and then her stomach growled. "Be back in a minute," she whispered. It was a microwave sandwich with a bag of potato chips, but Sookie was too hungry to care about how bad it tasted. She drank the bottled water that came with the meal and then filled the bottle from the spigot in the bathroom and drank that, too. Glancing toward Eric, she said, "I don't suppose describing how that sandwich tasted would make any difference to you." She took one last look at the tray in case there was a cookie hiding there before walking to her purse and waking up her phone. It was already afternoon, so Sookie checked to see what time sundown would happen. "Two hours," she said out loud before tucking the phone back in her purse. Sookie hadn't brought a charger and the power was almost ready to switch to battery mode.

"Two hours until sundown," she sighed again. Sookie glanced at the fetish equipment that lined the walls. It wasn't that she was interested, but she'd never really seen any of this in real life, and so she spent some time walking from one apparatus to the next, trying to figure out how it was used. By the time she'd arrived at the dangling manacles, she'd had enough and retreated back to the bed.

"At least you're okay sitting with me while I eat," she told the vampire. When she'd been living at The Grand and going to Ghoul's Kiss for dinner every night, Eric often joined her. He seemed perfectly comfortable sitting across the table. He usually sipped blood from a mug while the two of them talked. "Guess we won't be hiking together, though," she sighed.

Sookie thought about how the countryside looked when the sun shone through clouds and mornings filled with the bright songs of birds. She thought about walking down country lanes when the leaves turned color and the spicy, heavy smell the air took on in Fall on warm, Indian summer days. "We'll never share that," she said sadly.

Then, Sookie thought about how she felt when Eric teased her, or when he asked how she was feeling about things. She thought about their conversations and how he always asked her to describe what she'd done that day. Sookie thought about how it felt to fly, wrapped in Eric's arms, and she thought of how her heart expanded last night when he'd looked at her as if she was the only thing that existed for him. "We'll figure this out," she told him and stroked his cheek. His skin was cool, but not unpleasant, and she rubbed her fingers over his slight stubble. "Do you shave?" she asked. She looked him over again as she thought of other questions. "Does your hair grow? Do you get haircuts?" Eric's hair was longer, though not as long as Breandan's. Somehow, she couldn't see Eric ever pulling his hair into a bun on top of his head. It just wasn't his style. "If only you played music," she sighed, "you really would be perfect!"

Sookie settled back down beside Eric. She twined her fingers through his slack ones, pulling his hand a little closer. "This isn't me," Sookie said. "I appreciate that you and Grandfather think I'm in danger and I appreciate that you think I could be a danger to other people, but this still isn't something that old Sookie would do. You may have noticed, but I don't like to be pushed into doing things. It kind of gets my temper going, but, I have to say, all in all, I'm not sorry about this." On impulse, Sookie kissed Eric's shoulder, and then she closed her eyes, waiting to feel him rising to join her again.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

There was nothing, and then, there was that pulse of energy that grew until it roared forth, springing Eric's eyes open as sentience returned. Waking vampire wasn't like waking human. Eric remembered waking human as a slow, lazy process. There was turning and adjusting. Waking vampire was more like turning on a light switch. You were not, and then you were, and for over a thousand years, that was how it was. Until tonight.

Tonight, there was a new step introduced. Tonight, Eric came to realize there was a place between the darkness and the light he had never noticed before. It was the place where Sookie now lived and it was unsettling.

Eric's eyes popped open and Sookie's face was right above his. It was purely instinct, but he leaped from the bed and assumed a defensive stance, fangs bared.

"That's nice!" Sookie huffed. She'd obviously been startled, too, and he could feel her rapid heartbeat thundering in his ears. His fangs itched and his first thought was to drain her. That was unsettling, too.

He sheathed his fangs with an effort. He drew in a breath, forcing himself to accept her scent and his reaction to it. "The bond may take some adjustment," he apologized, and then, forcing himself to relax, he added, "Good evening, Sookie."

She was kneeling on the round bed. She'd showered and was wearing a short robe. He could smell the old food on the tray near the door. Someone must have thought to feed her. Eric looked around the room again. He wondered if they'd been watched last night. The Queen had multiple cameras mounted in the ceiling and walls and she'd shown him the monitors she used on one of his past visits. If she had watched, Eric couldn't imagine Sophie-Ann being pleased by what she saw. No purpose was served by feeding Sophie-Ann's jealousy, but the temptation of making love with Sookie Stackhouse more than once had overcome caution. ' _Sookie Northman_ ,' he reminded himself. She would be living in his house. She would be interacting with townspeople. She would need to blend in, as much as any newcomer ever blended into a small Irish town, and that meant using his surname.

"You've been in here all day?" he asked. He knew she had, but it seemed a good place to start a conversation.

"How do the townspeople around here not question this place?" Sookie asked in return. "The man who brought me food wore a dog collar. Really?"

"People see what they wish to see," Eric shrugged, "The Seelie have their masques. We all have glamour. Those who work here accept us. Most know what we are and they work here because they wish to become vampires. There are humans who will do anything to avoid their own deaths."

"Like that girl last night?" and Eric could feel Sookie's sadness.

"She didn't die," Eric reminded Sookie, "and it would be best to forget that." He explained, "There are some among us who hold to the old ways. Sophie-Ann is one. She was turned very young, at a time when humans were cruel. She developed peculiar tastes, although she is usually more discrete. She wanted to upset you and make you afraid of me."

"She's a total bitch. Why do you serve her?" From Sookie's perspective, Eric supposed it was a reasonable question.

"It serves my purpose to live in this country," he answered. "I have traveled over most of Europe. I was made vampire in a place that is now Sweden and I wandered for a long time with my Maker. I have even lived in the United States, but Pam wanted to return here. The Fae live in Ireland in greater numbers than other places so we don't have to work as hard at hiding, but to be in any country means pledging to the presiding Queen or King."

"Why pledge to anyone?" Sookie asked. "You're old, right? Doesn't that earn you the right to call you own shots?"

"It's not how we live," Eric explained. "Our world, is broken into kingdoms. If you choose to live in a territory, or kingdom, the presiding King or Queen must grant you permission. In exchange for that permission, you pay a portion of what you make, a tithe, to the Ruler. It's a good system. Vampires are strong and we could easily become a menace to the communities where we live. Before the Kings and Queens, there was no order, and we were hunted almost to extinction. This arrangement brings order and safety. I am old enough to remember both ways, Sookie, and I assure you, this is the better choice." He smiled before telling her, "When I offered my skills here the Queen made me Sheriff. Because she granted me standing, Pam, as my Child, was also invited to move here."

"So, Pam couldn't have just moved here on her own?" It made Eric grin. It was one of the things he liked about Sookie. She didn't get bogged down in her own problems. She'd just spent a whole day locked in an orgy room with a dead man. Other women would have greeted him with tear-stained faces or angry demands. Sookie sought knowledge.

"Yes, she could have. Sophie-Ann would have contacted me, asking for my promise against Pam's behavior. Pam is still considered young in our world, but she's establishing her own reputation. Soon, she won't need my sponsorship. She'll be welcome wherever she lands." Pam had traveled apart from him several times now. It suited her independent nature, but he felt flattered when she returned to work with him. It was something he had no interest in doing with his own Maker.

Eric's fangs itched again. He was hungry and Sookie smelled wonderful. Sookie's face stilled and her eyes widened. "Oh, do you need to eat?" She had fed him several times last night, mostly small amounts, except for when they bonded. Had he not fed her his own blood, she would have felt lethargic today. As it was, she was probably feeling some after effects, like being thirsty. She should also feel more energetic and in time, she would start to glow. Sookie was nowhere near turning, but Eric expected she would manifest more vampire-like qualities; her eyesight would improve and she would begin to hear and smell things more clearly.

Eric took another breath, making sure he had his baser instincts under control, before walking back toward her. "I am hungry," he purred.

She couldn't mistake his intent, "I showered," she protested, but her eyes brightened.

Eric stopped at the edge of the bed and held out his hand, "Really? Let me see!"

"I think you can 'see' plenty from right there!" Sookie teased.

Eric moved, using his speed. He grabbed her ankle and pulled her right to the edge of the bed, and then dropped to his knees, spreading hers so she was open before him. "I'd rather see this way," he laughed. Feeding from a woman's thigh as she orgasmed was one of his favorite things. There was something about the combination of scent, endorphin-fueled blood, and breathy gasps that made it the perfect experience. Eric usually glamoured his partners the first few times until they became used to it, but that wasn't possible with Sookie.

It was a risk. She might reject him, but it would be the first of many things he expected he'd have to teach her if they were to have a harmonious relationship. He felt her hesitation, and then realized she was probably reacting to his own concerns, so instead he focused on the job at hand.

She tasted wonderful. Women tasted differently, but Sookie tasted best. He knew it was in part because of her Fae heritage. The Fae were sensuous creatures and he'd made love with both Fae men and women over the centuries. The Seelie, in particular, were appealing. Their blood, all parts of them, had that tang of honey and he tasted it now. He lifted his eyes, watching how his fingers and tongue drove her. There was nothing so satisfying as a woman who loved sex and Sookie definitely loved sex. He closed his eyes. He could hear her blood as it rushed through her arteries and veins. She was starting to arch, pressing against him. She gripped his head with her thighs. She was close. Eric allowed her ecstasy to wash over him, the bond making the experience even better. He turned his head, licking her thigh, preparing her. She was close and he increased the speed of his fingers, triggering her. She called out and he struck, her blood bursting in his mouth, a revelation, and he came. It was perfect. His eyes rolled back as he let the sensation take him. Her feelings, his feelings. He wanted to pull away from her, roaring in triumph, but he caught himself.

Instead, he carefully retracted his fangs. He pierced his finger, rubbing his blood into the wounds, and then licking them to hurry their healing. He moved forward over the bed, lying beside her and gathering her in his arms. He knew humans liked to be held after, but the fact was, he did, too.

Sookie ducked her head against his shoulder, stroking him, smelling like her enticing self. It made him believe that being bonded to this creature would have its advantages.

"So, when do we get to leave?" she asked.

"That's all I get?" Eric chuckled. "More demands?"

To his delight, Sookie screwed up her mouth up and sassed, "I think you just got plenty!"

He laughed, and then it occurred to him that she might be serious. He didn't sense it, but, "You are feeling well? I could give you my blood…"

"Do I feel unhappy?" she asked and poked him in the chest. "I have to say, this feeling you thing is… well… Quite the thing!"

"You like it?" Eric grinned again.

"I'm getting used to it," she confirmed. "So, like I said, when are we getting out of here? I could use new clothes and real food. I don't know what that microwaved sandwich was they threw at me, but it was terrible!"

As if to emphasize the point, Sookie's stomach grumbled. Eric knew that meant she was really hungry. Vampire blood would suppress her appetite, something he'd have to watch. There were stories of pets literally wasting away because they were never hungry. ' _Wife_ ,' he reminded himself. ' _Sookie Northman_.' "We should shower," he said aloud. There was a part of him that couldn't help but preen. He had decided he wanted her. He openly challenged Niall Brigant, telling the Fae King he would have her. Now, Sookie was his. ' _Be careful what you wish for_.' It was one of Pam's sayings and he couldn't understand why he thought of it now. Everything was going as planned. He saw, he stalked, he captured.

Sookie in the shower was as delightful as Sookie last night. She was hesitant at first. When he pressed her for an explanation, she confessed that being with him in the shower brought back memories of her time with Breandan Brigant. "We'll take care of that!" he playfully growled and he used his connection with her to make sure she enjoyed their time together.

"It is the way of things," he soothed as he toweled her off afterward. "The memories of your past give way to the memories of your present." He lifted her hand to kiss his ring. "You are mine, now. We will make our own."

When they emerged from the bathroom, Pam was awaiting them. "Everything is ready?" Eric asked.

"The car's outside," Pam nodded, then smiled at Sookie. "Technically, you're my Mistress, now, but maybe it would be less confusing if we called each other sisters, or sisters-in-law."

"Really?" Sookie's eyes lit up and Eric felt how much Pam's words meant her. There was a melancholy strand in Sookie and he considered again what he knew of her and how she'd grown up. "Thank you," Sookie was telling his Child as she hugged Pam, an action which amused Pam no end.

Eric pulled his clothes together. They were none the worse for wear, but Sookie's dress was another matter. Pam helped her zip up the back, but it left his wife bare-legged, both hose and garter belt destroyed. Sookie struggled with the shoes, so Eric settled it by simply picking Sookie up. "It won't take long to get home," he assured her.

As they walked through the halls, the Queen's retinue was curiously absent. Eric had the feeling this was not a good sign. Sophie-Ann was not known for her 'forgive and forget' nature, and the empty halls had Eric certain his Queen would find a million ways to punish him. Eric glanced at Sookie, pushing worries aside It didn't do to dwell on what couldn't be changed.

Just as they were headed for the door, Sigebert stepped into their path. He nodded to Eric, and then inhaled. Glancing at Sookie, he nodded, once, and then stepped aside, allowing Eric and his party to pass.

Eric handed Sookie into the backseat of Pam's car. It was logical. Her legs were shortest, but, almost immediately, he felt that low feeling from her, the one that meant she was disappointed. "The house is only fifteen minutes away," he said, leaning around the backrest, and Sookie seemed to settle.

It had been a long time since Eric had a human in his life. Suzanne was his for several years before Claude seduced her away. Eric felt great affection for Suzanne but, with the bond and its non-stop flow of emotions from Sookie, Eric started to realize this time things were different. For one thing, as close as he'd been to Suzanne, he'd never shared a house with her. She had her own house and he'd visited her. It was different times, to be sure. Humans still staked and burned his kind, so not retreating to a secret place every night would have been suicide.

Sookie's stomach was gurgling in the back seat. "Should we stop at a grocery store, or something?" she asked.

Pam shot him a look, but Eric shook his head, telling Sookie, "My Dayman has taken care of stocking food at the house." He turned to look at her again, "If you find anything missing, we'll take care of it." He turned to Pam, "Contact Niall. Tell him what has happened."

"I don't think he's going to be too pleased about the bonding," Pam said carefully.

Eric was just about to say that he wasn't happy about being forced to bond either, when he felt Sookie's interest. "Let him know how it happened and assure him we are content," he said instead. They were turning on to his road, so Eric decided to wait until they got to the house before saying anything more.

Eric hit the button on his key fob and the second garage door opened. As Pam had glided into the open space, it occurred to Eric that Sookie would need a car, living so far from town. It was a few steps and her door was open, and then Sookie's hand was in his. He led her past his vehicle and opened the door into the house. The lights turned on automatically. Sookie's eyes swept around, taking in the utility sink and tiled floor. "It rains here," Eric explained. "This room allows me to clean up before I enter." The real reason the room was tiled was that when Eric came home from nights interrogating covered in blood it was easier to clean up in here, but that wasn't something he was ready to discuss. He pointed out the waterproof mat next to the kitchen entrance. "For your shoes. I don't like having shoes in the house." Sookie nodded, toeing out of the Crocs she'd found in the backseat of Pam's car.

"I need to speak with Pam for a moment," Eric explained as he reached around the wall and turned on the lights in the kitchen. "Why don't you head inside and I'll join you in a minute."

Eric felt a sharp jab of irritation and it startled him enough that he raised his hand, but Sookie spun away from him, saying, "Yeah, sure," before he could question her.

Eric walked back into the garage and Pam followed. He waited until the door was closed before saying, "Remind the Queen that someone should go with you to see Rogan. Sookie is under Sophie-Ann's protection and, as her vassal, so am I, so that should protect you, but I don't want Rogan's temper getting the better of him."

"I'll be careful," Pam laughed. "I almost hope the old bastard does go for me. These Seelie think too much of themselves. Putting down a miscreant like Rogan would be a useful lesson to them all!"

"Don't underestimate him," Eric warned. "Seelie have powers beyond the rest of us, even if they don't parade them. I've seen a Seelie warrior freeze an entire battle so he could selectively kill his enemies." He glanced at the house, "I should go. My mate is not happy I've left her waiting."

"It's interesting, seeing this side of you," and Pam looked delighted rather than concerned. "She says jump and you ask how high? Bonding seems to be good for you!" Eric scowled, but, before she left, Pam laid her hand on Eric's arm, "Are you sure you're okay with this? Pledged is one thing, but bonded? This is forever, my Maker. She won't be able to divorce you. You won't be able to shake her."

"It makes no difference now," Eric shrugged. "It's done," and then he laughed again. "It looks as if Sophie-Ann decided to give up on me after all. I don't think I'll be getting another of her proposals any time soon."

"Unless she decides to pledge to you both," Pam suggested.

"I don't think Sophie-Ann's pride would allow that," Eric replied, but his restless mind filed away the idea, turning it and turning it, seeing whether it might fit.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

It didn't feel good, being sent into the house like a child. Sookie glanced around the kitchen. The refrigerator looked used, but the stove was brand new. At the far end of the room was a farm-style kitchen table surrounded by matching chairs. There were windows and a set of French doors to the outside. Sookie walked over to them and stared out at more furniture set on a stone patio. She was standing where the glassed-in room was located in the cottage in Killary and in her imagination, she saw the image of Breandan and Claude play out again. ' _It's over_ ,' she reminded herself, but the betrayal still hurt.

"So, this place is bigger," she said out loud, dispelling the thoughts crowding around her. She walked to the double doors across the room and they smoothly slid back into the walls. ' _Pocket doors_ ,' she thought. She stepped into a decent-sized room with two comfortable chairs that faced a fireplace. As she stepped farther in, she could see a larger room that led off to the side. It had a step down and looked more like the gathering place for a large family than a room in a vampire's home. She could see the outline of couches in the soft light, but her eyes were drawn back to the fireplace.

The inside wall in this room curved and Sookie walked through another door, finding herself in the front hall. To her left was the front door and to the right, a large staircase that circled gracefully upstairs. "Guess I won't have to worry about falling down this one," she told herself, thinking of the steep stairs at Killary. She ran her hand along the front wall until she found the light switches.

The stairs were the same warm-colored wood used in the rest of the house. The treads were wide and deep and at the top, Sookie found herself in a gallery. The door immediately in front of her opened to what had to be Eric's office. The laptop was on, a screensaver bouncing back and forth. There was one large desk facing out the front window and a television mounted on the wall. "Wonder if he's going to share?" Sookie asked herself. There was a closet and another door that led into a bathroom. It was one of those arrangements where the bathroom led into another empty bedroom. Sookie walked back into the gallery. The last door was set at the far side and it led to the master bedroom.

There were recessed lights in the ceiling casting a soft glow. There was a fireplace in here, too, and a dreamy canopy bed. There was a painting on the wall and the windows looked out to darkened landscape. An enormous arrangement of red roses decorated the dresser.

The room had a sitting area with another smaller bouquet of roses on a small table, and beyond this, more pocket doors that revealed the most indulgent bathroom Sookie had ever imagined. It was all in white tile with accent tiles in jewel colors. The bathtub had its own room with two steps that led up to it. The shower stall was recessed in the wall and accessed by opening a thick, glass door. Even the toilet had a room all its own. There was a linen closet loaded with soft, white towels and what Sookie was sure were heated towel racks installed on the walls.

"Do you like it?" Sookie jumped. She hadn't heard Eric approaching.

"It's overwhelming," she answered.

"I want you to be happy here," he purred as he laid his hands on her shoulders.

"It's not the place that determines that," Sookie smiled up at him before stepping away and walking back into the bedroom. There was another set of double doors and these opened to yet another room. The walls here were lined with built-in dressers and there was a low bench that ran down the middle. Eric flicked on switches and Sookie saw herself reflected in mirrors set so she could see all sides of herself at once. "It's empty," she noticed.

"Pam will make arrangements to bring your clothes here," Eric assured her.

"But, what about your clothes?" she asked.

"My clothes are in my chamber," he replied. "This is meant for you. This is your space."

"Your chamber?" and Sookie's chin jutted forward. "So, you won't be sleeping in here, with me?"

"No," Eric replied. What he was receiving from her was making him feel the need for caution. "I will join you, of course, if you wish, but I shouldn't stay here. If you…"

Sookie interrupted him, "Because we're different? Because I'm not like you? If this is some duty marriage for you, just say it! I'll contact Niall. I'll figure something out, but sleeping in separate rooms and living separate lives is not going to work for me!"

"If this is so important to you, I will make arrangements to ensure this room light tight," Eric offered.

"I guess my point is this shouldn't just be important to me," and Sookie stamped her foot in frustration. "I don't know what I was thinking! I was thinking earlier how I could make peace with this, but you probably figured this is like every other arranged marriage you Fae put together. You tolerate one another and if you end up liking each other, that's a bonus. Me? I didn't grow up that way. I grew up believing in fairy tales and happily ever after. I always believed the man I married would be someone I'd love, who'd love me in return." She looked away, "Pretty silly, huh?"

"You think you love me?" Eric asked.

"I think I'd like to," Sookie told him.

"Come," and Eric took her hand. He led her back down the stairs and when they reached the bottom, he walked her around until they stood between a wall and where a closet might have been placed under the stairs. He pressed the wall, and a door Sookie hadn't noticed sprung open. Eric turned on another light and he led her down another flight of stairs. These were not quite as nice as the ones above, but they were still wood, and when they reached the bottom of the stairs, more recessed lighting activated. "This is my chamber," he told her. "If you are willing, until the one upstairs can be made ready, it will be ours."

"You're sure?" Sookie asked.

"You will tire of me," Eric assured her. "You will tire of accommodating my life. To be forced to live always in night is more than an adjustment. You begin to doubt that colors were ever so vibrant. You struggle to remember the smell of the sun as it warms your skin." Sookie felt it then, that strand of loneliness from him she recognized in herself.

"Why don't we see how it works out before we make decisions about each other?" she asked, and then held out her hand to him.

"Are you offering?" he asked and Sookie couldn't help grinning. It was in his pirate smile and the way his eyes lit up.

"You sure you won't be the one getting tired?" she asked.

"Of this?" and Eric pulled her toward him, then turned her so he could pull down the zipper of her dress. His hands followed the dress's fall to the floor. "I don't think you should ever wear underwear," he sighed, his hands drifting over her bare sex. "I will be negotiating, or tracking down some miscreant, and I will think, 'Sookie is somewhere safe, open, and waiting for me,' and it will make me do my best to conclude my business quickly."

"I'll need to be able to get upstairs while you're resting," Sookie sighed as he gently scraped his teeth along the column of her neck.

"I will make Bobby arrange it," he sighed back.

"Who's Bobby?" and Sookie became more alert, her curiosity piqued.

"You will meet him," Eric assured her, using his hands and fingers to try and lure her back into a less wakeful state. "He is my Dayman, but soon, I will have another."

"Dayman? You used that word before. What is it?" and the mood was broken.

'You should be less curious," Eric groaned and stepped away from his wife, flopping back on the bed. "Go ahead, ask your questions, because I'm sure I won't be making any progress until you're done."

"You make it sound like a bad thing," Sookie growled.

Eric placed her hand on his hard length, "This wants to be a bad thing, but your questions keep blocking him."

"Does he have a name?" Sookie teased, squeezing just a little.

"Tristan," Eric answered. "Because all these questions make him sad."

"You brought it up," Sookie sniffed, then sitting next to him, she proceeded to ask him how Daymen worked. "Do you suppose they have their own support system? Like a club for Daymen?" Sookie asked, when Eric told her that most vampires employed someone like Bobby.

"I never thought of it," Eric admitted. "I have employed them off and on over the years, but, with my position, I tend not to retain anyone for long."

"Why is that?" Sookie asked and Eric realized he now had someone consistent in his life, which meant he was more vulnerable, and so was she.

"I'm a Sheriff," he shrugged. If he'd hoped that would be enough for Sookie, he was disappointed.

"So, why does that make a difference?" and Sookie cocked her head, clearly settling in. "I mean, you're also a bar owner or pub owner. So, how does this Sheriff thing fit in?"

"Owning pubs is a cover," Eric told her. "I don't need money. Most Fae don't. Most of us are very old and any need to acquire wealth ended long ago, but owning businesses helps us fit in. Pubs are a natural business for vampires. They are open at night. They provide a constant stream of willing humans. Because they drink, humans forget the odd thing they see, or they write it off to being drunk." Sookie wasn't looking entirely pleased with his explanation, so Eric continued, "For most vampires, that is enough. Some are newly-made so have more need for work. We owe tithes to our rulers and if you are unfortunate enough to be a new vampire made by a new vampire, the need to work may be most important."

"Tithes? You mentioned those, too. How much do those cost you? I don't remember seeing anything like that in your ledgers," Sookie asked.

"It's not something I record with my business invoices," Eric shrugged. "My accounting for that is kept separate. For new vampires who have nothing else to offer, tithes may represent half of everything. For vampires who have services the ruler can use, like me, the tithes are reduced."

"Half?" Sookie exclaimed.

Eric nodded, "Plus rights to anything else they own or control. Most rulers don't enforce that part. Feeding from another vampire's pet isn't likely to build loyalty and vampires value loyalty." He smiled at Sookie, "It's one of the things I like best about you. You knew Breandan Brigant didn't deserve you, but you defended him anyway."

"And here I am, married to someone else less than a year later," Sookie sighed. "Doesn't exactly feel loyal to me."

"Sometimes you need to accept what everyone else recognizes," Eric shrugged, "and not be so stubborn."

"You remind me of that when you piss me off and I kick your ass to the curb," Sookie snapped back, making Eric laugh.

"You would, too. It's a good thing I'm so much bigger than you! You would have a hard time dragging me up the stairs," and he pulled her so she snuggled against him. It was comforting, holding Sookie. Eric wondered whether it was because she was Fae or something that was uniquely her.

She moved her head so her hair was under his nose. She smelled sweet and Eric started to purr. It wasn't something he did often, but contentment could trigger it. Her fingers began to stroke his chest and he wondered if this meant questions were over, but it wasn't to be. "So, what do Sheriffs do, exactly?"

"I enforce the Queen's law," Eric answered.

"Does that mean you're the police for Fae?" Sookie asked.

"Yes." Eric made an effort to remain neutral. This conversation was not one he wished to have now. He was sure there were aspects of his job that Sookie wouldn't understand.

"So, I've married a cop," and Eric could tell that amused Sookie in some way. He waited, hoping she'd move on, and she did. "I'm assuming I'll still be doing your bookkeeping," she said.

"If you're willing. I'd also like to approach the Queen to use your services. It could build goodwill with her," Eric said, repeating something he'd mentioned earlier. "And, then there are the Summits which we will be expected to attend." Eric described Summits to her. He told her the upcoming schedule and how the meetings were a mix of business and parties.

"So, I'd be welcome?" Sookie asked.

"As my pledged and bonded, it would be odd if you weren't there," Eric confirmed.

"Pam says your blood is mine now." Sookie didn't sound confused about this, just wary.

"And you want me to confirm that?" Eric asked.

Sookie nodded, "And I want you to tell me exactly what that means."

"It means I won't allow any other to have my blood unless you offer it," Eric told her.

"What else?" Sookie asked.

Eric could tell she was getting at something, but he couldn't figure what it might be. "You need to tell me what you're asking, Sookie. You are in a position to demand many things. Don't be shy about asking what you wish to know."

"Does that mean you can't feed from anyone else?" she asked.

"Do you want that?" Eric asked in return. "I don't need a great deal, but I do need to feed every day. Understand what you are offering."

"Can you substitute bottled blood if something happens and I can't be around?" Sookie asked.

"I can," Eric replied, his eyes narrowing, "but drinking bottled blood is a hardship for me. It tastes terrible and it's expensive."

"But you have more money than you need," Sookie quoted his words back to him. "And I'm willing to be that person."

"But that's not all of it," and Eric continued to stare at her. "There is something more you want."

"You're right, there's more," she confirmed. "I don't want you having sex with other people. Breandan seemed to think that being committed didn't include being faithful." She saw the image from Niall's mirror in her head again and her heart clenched. "I'm a proud person," she told Eric. "If the man I'm with doesn't think I'm enough? It's hurtful."

"The Fae don't see sex the way humans do," Eric said carefully.

"I don't care!" and Sookie's jaw jutted. "I'm human, well, mostly, and that's who you're bonded to. You asked me what I wanted? Well, that's it!"

"Fine," Eric grinned. "Then, as long as you are mine, I will only fuck you," and Eric tugged her, flipping Sookie on her back, "but I have some demands of my own."

"Like what?" Sookie asked, her cheeks rosy.

"You will accept a car from me," he breathed against her.

"A car!" she squeaked. "That's too much!"

"You can't live here and not have a way to get to town," Eric spat back. "You may need to run errands or go see Pam. Consider it a wedding present."

"I can't…" and Sookie lost her thought as he brought his thigh between her legs, applying pressure in a rather determined way.

"You can and you will," he growled. "And there will be more. You will accept my jewels and when we must be seen in public, you will wear them. You will not shame me by being too proud to do what is required by those of my rank. I will be buying you clothing…"

"It's too much, Eric," she breathed against him.

"And you will finish your college degree," he declared before capturing her pebbling nipple between his teeth.

"You mean it?" Sookie stilled. She didn't care about the material things, not really, but the degree?

Eric sensed the change that bloomed into happiness within his bonded and he raised his head. "Yes, Älskade, that is what I want from you."

"But, it can't possibly benefit you," Sookie whispered.

"Oh, but you're wrong," he breathed. "It will please you and that, my Sookie, is what makes the bond sweet. What pleases you, pleases me."

He captured her lips and Sookie opened readily to him. His hands moved and his muscles flexed. He shifted her and filled her and she rose to him, one continuous song of joy. ' _I love you_ ,' her brain was singing, but her voice only cried his name.


	30. Chapter 29 - The Rain Must Fall

**Chapter 29 – The Rain Must Fall**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Andre met Pam in Carrack. They parked in the lot next to the local heritage museum and walked the several blocks to the hotel where Rogan Brigant was based. "Is he expecting us?" Andre asked.

"I left a message with his front desk," Pam answered. They didn't look at each other. There was always the chance Rogan had heard about what happened in Sophie-Ann's Court and they were walking into a trap. Human families passed them, their children laughing, the soft, evening light making their faces glow.

"There must be a concert tonight," Andre observed, pointing at a sign near the town park. Andre wasn't one for chitchat under normal circumstances, which was how Pam knew he was nervous.

"If Rogan knew what happened, he would have contacted us first and insisted we meet somewhere private," Pam replied. Andre reply, but Pam saw him roll his shoulders and let his guard drop just a bit.

They walked together into the lobby and Pam approached the desk manager standing behind the reception desk, "Ms. Ravenscoft and Mr. LeClerq to see Charles O'Hara." The manager was Fae, so he didn't bother hiding his disdain, his lip curled as he looked down his perfect nose.

"Is he expecting you?" It was in the way he said it. His tone let them know he knew exactly what they were. He was so condescending that Pam couldn't help it. She allowed her fangs to peek from behind her lip for just a second. The Fae's eyes widened. He hadn't expected her to threaten exposure in the front lobby with all these humans around them, but, then again, the Seelie never did. "I will find him!" he squeaked before scuttling away.

"Seelie!" Andre snorted.

"Poser!" Pam agreed. They scanned those who walked through the busy lobby. Most were human, their eyes slightly glassy as they took in the old-fashioned grandeur. The wood glowed and the floors shone. Pam squinted, picking out the minor glamours used to make the place look just that little bit better than anywhere else.

"He is in his office," the Fae manager interrupted, stepping in front of them to gain their attention. He didn't bow, as was courtesy, but he did gesture toward a back hall.

Pam insisted the manager precede them. Rogan may not have known they were coming before, but he did now and if there was gossip leaking, the time they waited in the lobby would have given the King time to learn it. Let the Fae manager walk through the door first and deal with whatever was waiting! But nothing was. Rogan was seated in a chair near a couple of other chairs, sipping tea. He did rise when they came into the room, and he did bow while the manager left, pulling the door shut behind him. "Miss Ravenscroft! And the Queen's own Second! To what do I owe this honor? Surely, it must be important to pull you both from your own business?"

"It has been many years," Andre returned the bow. "Greetings from my Queen and best wishes for the continued prosperity of your kingdom."

"May the night lend her many blessings to yours as well!" Rogan replied, and then gestured toward the chairs. "My person will be back shortly with TruBlood for you. It's so nice to have something to offer guests of your kind, at long last, something other than the usual," and Rogan allowed his eyes to twinkle at his little joke.

"Most enlightened," Andre smiled. Vampires rarely stayed at Seelie establishments, although there were the exceptions. Fae blood was too enticing and being in close proximity was an excuse for accidents and accusations.

"I am told your pub is temporarily closed," Rogan commented, turning to Pam. "I heard the sign reads, 'Family business'?"

"It is the reason we are here," Pam replied, keeping her party manners in place. "But we should wait until we have privacy to speak."

"Of course," and Rogan's brows pulled together, all concern and curiosity. As if on cue, another Fae knocked, then walked in with two mugs filled with dark liquid. His eyes flicked to Rogan, but Pam couldn't see any signal pass between them. She waited for Rogan to lift his teacup before lifting her own, sniffing delicately.

"You should know, the Queen is aware of our business with you tonight," Andre said, holding Rogan's gaze. They all knew Andre was giving Rogan a thinly-veiled threat. If the blood was altered in any way, or an attack planned, Rogan would face Sophie-Ann's wrath.

"Now you have made me curious," Rogan replied. He sat back, for all appearances in good humor.

The courtesies satisfied, Pam set her mug down, "I am here to deliver the most wonderful news. My Maker has decided to take a mate. He bonded last night."

Rogan's eyebrows lifted, "Really? I didn't think vampires did that anymore. How extraordinary." Rogan set his cup down before continuing, "and rare. My felicitations!" He turned toward Andre, "And, I am sure Sophie-Ann is most pleased. She has wished this joining for many years, and to enhance it with a bond."

Andre cocked his head to the side, "I think you misunderstand my presence. I'm here because the Northman is my Queen's primary Sheriff in this kingdom and, as you say, a bonding is a rare event. They are, both Northman and his mate, under the Queen's direct protection, so informing her closest neighbors and those with whom she has so many business connections is the least I can do."

Rogan's eyes flicked back to Pam. They could see the Fae King was beginning to gather there was something more going on. Pam kept her smile in place as she said, "In celebration, we closed all our establishments, giving our employees paid time off; a family event, as our sign said. Eric is most pleased and so is she."

"She?" Rogan's smile was becoming more brittle. "'She' must be a very special person."

Pam held out her hand and waited until Rogan held out his own. Pam dropped Breandan's ring into the King's open palm before saying, "Sookie Stackhouse is. But you already knew that."

Rogan's face shifted and his Fae nature was revealed. "I should kill you," he hissed.

"You and all your people wouldn't survive the night," Andre shrugged. "Consider who I am and what attacking us would mean."

"You, of all people, knew the importance of consent," Pam added. "Breandan broke it with her. Sookie did this of her own free will." When Rogan didn't respond, Pam added, "Consider this. She is bonded to a vampire. She is removed from any Seelie society forever. She can never be seen as anything other than a vampire by your people, despite her background." And then Pam looked at the ring Rogan had set on the table between them, "And then, there's that ring. Did you know your son gave that to her? I'm sure he didn't mean to marry her under Seelie law. I don't think that's even possible, but he did intend to marry her by human rites." Rogan was still looking ugly, so Pam delivered her next blow, "Breandan told Sookie he loved her. Did he tell you?"

"He wouldn't," Rogan hissed.

"Sookie told me, herself," Pam nodded. "I asked if she was certain. She wasn't lying." That did the trick. Rogan's eyes narrowed and the vampires could feel the Fae's rage start to transform into something else. "I think you're lucky Sookie chose the vampire," Pam continued. "If Breandan told Sookie something like that, how long before he shamed himself more? We both know what comes of a Fae who is captured by a human. I think my Maker has done you another favor."

Rogan glanced at the ring again, "I may have misjudged the situation in Slievemore," he conceded. The silence stretched, and then Rogan stood. "I thank you for bringing me this information. It was most kind of you to deliver this news in person. He looked directly at Andre, "Feel free to share my reactions with your Queen. Far be it for me to deny Sophie-Ann any type of entertainment, no matter how cruel or distasteful."

"My Queen is always happy to provide information to her allies," Andre bowed. It was formal, but the smirk on his face made clear he was enjoying the Fae King's discomfort.

"May my Maker continue to operate within your kingdoms?" Pam asked. She didn't stand and in that moment, Pam realized how much the news had affected Rogan. He looked almost lost, and then, gathering himself, he sat back down.

"Of course," he said and rather fussily, adjusted the crease in his pants. They all knew the King was playing for time, so they waited. He glanced at his teacup, and then he sighed. "Sookie Stackhouse has caused enough trouble," he pronounced. "The businesses may stay open," and then he looked at Pam, "But I don't want Northman personally managing the ones in my kingdom." When Pam looked as if she'd say something, Rogan raised his hand. "I'm assuming my son doesn't know of this development," and he gestured toward the ring.

"Neither my Maker nor myself has notified him," Pam confirmed.

"If things are as you say and my son has betrayed himself, there is no reason to believe he wouldn't further compound his shame by making trouble for your Maker." The King licked his lips. "These are not Northman's only establishments and his manager here is competent. I am sure you can tolerate this concession."

"You are most generous," Andre answered. "It is a reasonable request."

"But, Eric isn't barred from traveling through your kingdoms or visiting his holdings?" Pam persisted.

"As long as he doesn't stay long," Rogan waved his hand. "I make this demand as much for your protection as for ours. But as for the hybrid," and Rogan glanced again at the ring. "For now, she is banned. There could be no good from her coming into my territory and I rescind any permission extended to her."

As she and Andre walked back to their cars, Pam acknowledged her surprise at how well Rogan took the news. She had expected his reaction would be far worse. After all, there had to be considerable cost to send his son to find Sookie, and more cost to bring Sookie here. According to Eric, there was the matter of blackmail being paid by Niall, which Rogan had to know would end. Rogan's reaction should have been stronger and throughout the remainder of the interview, which wasn't long, Pam kept waiting for the other shoe to fall.

"It doesn't add up," Pam told Andre. "He went through a lot of trouble to bring her here and now? He's just going to roll over? He bans her from his territory and that's it? Is it possible that word of her magic hasn't reached him?"

"Who knows what goes on in a Seelie's mind?" Andre shrugged. "They run hot and then ice cold. Perhaps he's most worried about his son's obsession with her."

"Perhaps," Pam nodded, "still, I don't trust him."

"If you were that worried, you should have made it known while we were there," Andre scolded. "You could have asked the old bastard directly. It's not as if he could lie. As it is, he has not made unreasonable demands, he has agreed to fair treatment for the Queen's Sheriff, and my mission here is done."

Pam climbed behind the wheel and pulled up her radio station. It would be an hour before she was back in Slievemore and Maryann was waiting for her. As Pam cleared the first roundabout and gained speed, she thought again of the meeting. "You're up to something," she said to no one in particular. She'd known too many Fae and seen most of Rogan's moods. "It's just a matter of time," she told her reflection in the rearview mirror. "You'll be coming after us. I know it!"

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Rogan sat in his office, staring at his empty teacup. Ages of planning and plotting and it had come to this. Two vampires felt free to stand in his own office, laughing at his humiliation. True, the sweetness of his vengeance against Niall had soured. It wasn't anything Rogan could put his finger on, but he had the feeling that paying tribute didn't hurt Niall as much as it should have and the times they spoke, his brother's voice lacked a certain desperation. It was almost as though his brother was content to have the hybrid remain in Rogan's care.

Added to that, the demands from Mae's family had started, or to be more accurate, the demands from Mae's sole surviving relative. At the time, her lack of relatives had counted against her. It suggested an inability on the part of her family to reproduce, which was her sole purpose, but her dowry was substantial and no Seelie could overlook her family name coupled with the kind of gold she brought.

Rogan cursed his temper again. He never should have struck out at her as he did. Her relative was smart. He went to the other kings and queens first, his messages reaching across continents, mourning the unnecessary death of one of their own. He emphasized her beauty and their own lack of numbers. He made sure there was some doubt as to whether the inability to reproduce was truly Mae's or the Brigant line losing its potency. Most damning, though, was that in a time when they faced extinction, it had been a Fae who struck Mae down, and Rogan was beginning to taste the bitterness of censure from his fellow Seelie in ways both small and large. Even the Selkies, his allies, had harsh words for his action and deep down, Rogan knew he deserved all this and more.

' _Sookie Stackhouse!_ ' and Rogan's mind cringed, just thinking her name. It was her fault. Not her fault in particular, although she was an annoying person who didn't know her place. It was because she was a classic example of why hybrids were dangerous. She was attractive. She brought out bad behavior in those around her and called bad luck to her. Her own Father perished under mysterious circumstances and her Mother died of disease. Her brother abandoned her. From the time Breandan came into contact with her, he changed, softened.

Rogan looked at the ring on the table. He knew the minute he saw it that Breandan had given it to that thing. It was one of Aoife's rings, diamonds set in platinum. When his wife showed it to him so many years ago, she'd laughed, saying it reminded her of stars scattered across the Milky Way. "Your Mother's ring," and Rogan's heart contracted.

Rogan could never fault Aoife, but this disaster was the result of her kindness. Her son had faced a challenge and he failed. He should have been able to resist something as tainted as Sookie Stackhouse, but instead, he'd fallen under her thrall. Rogan's anger began to shift. He blamed Sookie, but his disappointment in Breandan loomed larger. ' _I need to bring him here_ ,' Rogan thought. ' _I can begin his retraining. I will find ways to beat the softness, the weakness, from him. I never should have listened to his Mother, and now I am reaping the harvest of my own failures._ '

The hybrid was lost, but the consolation was she was equally lost to Niall. Bonded to a vampire made her beneath them. If Niall wished to reclaim her, it would be a guarantee of war in his kingdom as well as with vampires. She was officially vampire now and they would fight for Northman's claim to her.

"Get my car," he told his manager as he walked into the lobby. "I'm going to Slievemore to fetch my son."

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Breandan texted Sookie again. He frowned. They fought before she left, and he'd ignored her for a couple days to punish her, but his anger had passed, and now, he was returning her texts. He checked the phone again. It wasn't like her to not respond. She usually texted him right away. ' _I apologize_ ,' he texted. ' _I am so anxious to have you here. I have a surprise for you and I find I am as anxious as a child to give it to you. I love you. Please answer me_.'

"Can't you wait?" Claude asked. He was stretched out on the bed beside Breandan. He'd stopped fighting Breandan's decision, agreeing that when Sookie returned from her hike, he'd disappear.

"I know this is hard for you," Breandan conceded, "but you know this is temporary. She makes me happy, cousin. She makes my heart happy. If you love me as you say you do, you will allow me this interlude. When she ages, you can return. For now, I don't want her jealous or troubled." He thought of his German guests. "When she is clear in her thoughts, it's like water feeding my soul. Allow me that."

"This won't be as uncomplicated as you think," Claude sighed. "She is not a simple creature."

"But she is for me," Breandan smiled. "It takes so little. My willingness to forego sex with others will be a hardship, but Sookie is inventive and willing to learn new things. If variety is the sacrifice I must make to gain the rest of what she brings me, I'm willing to do it. Smiles, sailing, walking in the woods. Her joy can be as bright and healing as the sun itself, and I wish to bask in it. Don't discourage me, cousin. Don't make me question our affection."

"Sookie is the reason Mae died," Claude reminded Breandan. "For all her faults, I liked Mae. She was an interesting person, and Seelie."

"Rogan is the reason Mae died," Breandan corrected. He kissed Claude before saying, "My Father lost his temper. He thought of no one but himself." Breandan got out of bed, picking up his clothes. They were in a guest room upstairs. Breandan refused Claude entrance to the manager's apartment downstairs. He wanted to be certain there would be no stray hairs or awkward mementoes for Sookie to find on her return. He'd gone as far as replacing all the sheets and several of the chairs in an effort to make the space reminiscent of Killary. He had plans for the cottage as well. All would be as Sookie wished.

He checked his phone again. "You don't suppose something happened to her?" he asked.

"You'd know," Claude shrugged, then stretched, stroking himself and watching Breandan, a clear invitation to return to bed. "The Selkies would tell you or the others. You know how it is with us, gossip, gossip, gossip!"

"Still," Breandan frowned. "I am starting to worry," and he laughed. "I am worried about her. It's remarkable."

"Yes, remarkable," Claude echoed, clearly unimpressed. "You sure you don't have another minute or ten to spare me?"

"You put yourself in that state," and Breandan gestured toward Claude's erection, "You take care of it. I told you I have to go downstairs."

It wasn't a long walk, only one flight to the lobby. "Did mail come earlier for me?" he asked Preston as he passed. His Assistant Manager handed him a stack of envelopes and Breandan stopped to sort through them. The one he sought was halfway down the pile. He slit it open and pulled out his Marriage Registration Form. It had taken some finessing. By the rules, he should have presented himself with Sookie, but he glamoured the official to think she'd been there. The identifying documents had been easy to procure, but the three-month waiting period less easy to circumvent. In the end, money and a liberal dose of glamour had done the trick. "She will be so pleased," he said out loud, smiling at Preston. Preston smiled back. All the Fae in the hotel had been warned about their behavior. There would be no more accidents arising due to their treatment of Sookie Stackhouse. Breandan interrogated them one by one and any he thought lacking in sincerity were replaced. From now on, The Grand would be a place his Sookie enjoyed ruling. ' _My consort_ ,' he thought, even though he knew that title could never be hers.

It had been a trying day, but this evening was better. Sookie was due to cross back into his territory in just a few days. She'd been spotted in Carreigh, which meant she had to have reached vampire territory on her homeward leg. Soon, she would reach his border and he would pick her up to start their new life together.

' _I will let her choose the venue_ ,' he thought as he walked back to his apartment. He would prepare a list of possible places he and Sookie could use to exchange the words. As long as the place was public, gaining permission from the Registry Office to hold the human ceremony wouldn't be difficult. Breandan knew everyone who worked there and they were always ready to do him small favors, as was right.

Breandan was in high spirits when he emerged from his shower, dressed and ready to start his day. He wasn't expecting his Father.

"What brings you here?" Breandan asked, alarm bells sounding in his head. It was in how his Father was watching him.

The King reached into his jacket pocket and removed something, then set it on the table. Breandan moaned. It was her ring. "What have you done?" he croaked.

"Pull yourself together," Rogan barked. "You are a disgrace! I've warned you and now you will see I was right."

"You killed her?" and Breandan stepped forward.

"Of course not!" Rogan snapped. "She returned it. She had her pet vampires bring it to my office so I would know how low you have sunk. How could you? Your Mother's ring? Have you learned nothing?"

Breandan collapsed in the chair. He looked away, trying to absorb what he was hearing. "Vampires? What vampires? Why do they have it?"

"Because your hybrid has pledged herself to one," and Rogan leaned forward. He spoke as he would to a child. "You betrayed yourself and what did it get you? The hybrid has thrown herself away, Son. She has given herself to Eric Northman."

"I knew that bastard had designs on her!" Breandan exclaimed, jumping up. "I'm going to stake him myself. How dare he!"

"If I were truly cruel, I would let you," Rogan sighed. "Sit down, Breandan. You are going to do no such thing. It wouldn't help now, anyway. The hybrid is beyond our reach. She has bonded to Northman and you and I both know what that means."

"Why?" Breandan collapsed in a chair. He couldn't breath and his chest ached. "Why would Sookie do such a thing?" and then, "My poor Sookie! She must have been threatened."

"Sophie-Ann sent Andre to see me," Rogan continued. "She couldn't be bothered to come herself. He almost crowed over it. It was her choice. Your hybrid chose Northman, Son."

"But, I love her." Breandan stared down at his hands. Nothing made sense. He looked again at the ring on the table and remembered how happy he had been, slipping it on her hand. He thought of the Marriage Registration form, sitting open on the bookcase near the door. His Father was talking, saying Breandan would be returning to Carrack with him. Rogan was putting Preston Pardloe in charge of the properties here. He was telling Breandan that, in the end, Breandan would appreciate the steps his Father was taking today. It was inevitable that Breandan would face similar challenges in the future and Rogan blamed himself for not training Breandan to make right choices. The room was closing in. Breandan said, "Claude is upstairs, Father. Let me go up and tell him I'm leaving."

"Why don't you have him come with us?" Rogan suggested, and then the King said, "I do blame myself for this. I wasn't hard enough on you when you needed it," and Breandan saw his future.

It was a moment of perfect clarity. Breandan rose. "Thank you, Father," he said. He even smiled before walking through the lobby, but Breandan didn't head upstairs. The harbor was close, only a block away and it took less time than he thought to walk into the water and feel it close around him, and then over him, welcoming him into its embrace.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Niall Brigant twisted his cane under his hand. Outside, the sun played peek-a-boo through the clouds. Four nights ago, he'd received a voicemail from Pam Ravenscroft. Just three words, "The are bonded." Since then, there had been nothing.

Which each house, Niall felt the tension build. He waited for Northman to call. He waiting for Rogan to rage. He waited, but days were slipping by, and then nights, with no further word. To simply show up at a vampire's home was dangerous, but Niall considered doing it anyway. "I could call his Queen…" Niall growled, when Dillon, his son, swept into the hall.

"Claude is returned to my house and I have accepted him," Dillon informed him.

"And you have no qualms about his allegiances?" Niall was surprised. He had assumed Claude would remain with Breandan, now that Sookie was gone.

"Not this time," Dillon shook his head. "Breandan is gone. He has pledged himself to the Selkies. He's adopted their form. You may not have accepted the depth of Claude and Breandan's affection, Father, but I did long ago. They are mated, even if they never asked for permission to declare it. Claude will take a long time to come to terms with this sundering and he wishes to heal with his family."

"So strange, how fate works," Niall mused, turning over this strange turn in events. "It is as if I am watching the slow erosion of our kind. Mae killed. Breandan abandoning his kind. Sookie…"

"Don't list her with her betters," Dillon interrupted. "You might consider that it is her coming that has been the cause of these calamities."

"None of this was her choice," Niall retorted. "Blaming her for the prejudices of our people is like blaming a rock for the ground being hard."

"Had she never been made…" Dillon's eyes started to take on that steely glint that signaled his anger.

"You never stood against me, Son," Niall said quietly, "but you never stood with me either."

"My children took sides," Dillon pointed out, "and look what that has cost me. Was your disgrace worth my Claudia's life? Was it worth all the blood that was spilt?"

"No one required Branna to rebel," Niall pointed out. "You might consider that your Mother only needed the excuse."

The anger hung in the air between them for a long moment, before Dillon shook his head. "It is as you say, but the matter remains one that inflames us all. The saving grace is that this time, the hybrid is truly removed. Bonded to a vampire means she is vampire in our eyes. It would be dishonorable for any Seelie to fight over any person so low."

"I blame Northman," Niall sighed. "I refuse to believe he couldn't find a way around bonding to her. He told me months ago he would have her and now he does. That's what comes of trusting a vampire."

"It ends your need to pay Rogan," Dillon said, arching an eyebrow. Niall hadn't been aware his son knew of Rogan's blackmail, but he could see he'd underestimated Dillon. "Even if Rogan chooses to reveal her lineage, her status prevents even the most traditional from commenting. I hope in time you come to appreciate the favor Northman has done us, Father."

"But what of her magic?" Niall asked. "I am sure it is powerful and she will need to be trained to control it. Unless Sookie understands how to use it, she could still be a danger to us."

"Claudine tells me she releases pheromones when she practices, like any Fae. Why not encourage her to show the vampires at the Queen's Court? It would over in a moment." and Dillon chuckled.

"Northman would never let that happen," Niall snapped back. "He will defend her, even to the death. I believe he would have done so even before the bonding and now, he has no choice."

"He didn't turn her," Dillon shrugged. "Surely the vampire bond wouldn't demand Northman's death with hers?"

"No," Niall conceded. "I have studied the lore and were she made vampire now, after the bonding, one's death would cause the other's end as well." Niall couldn't help his smile, "So, whether he was forced or he was being tricky, Northman finds himself in a corner. I suppose the truth is that Sophie-Ann decided to punish him. Northman does have a way of making people wish the worst for him."

"It's his arrogance," Dillon sniffed. "He never accepted his place." The Fae Prince looked out the window as he said, "I wonder if someone else would be willing to turn her?"

"I won't have it!" Niall hissed. "She is the picture of her Grandmother. In time, there may be a way to gain greater acceptance in our world."

"For what purpose? For forcing this forlorn hope you insist on holding? Father! We are a proud race. Allow us to meet our extinction with dignity." He sat down next to Niall and wrapped his arms around the King. It immediately made them both feel better, as contact with their own kind always did. "We will be the subject of song. Our tales will be told across the ages and we will have met our ends as we started. Diluting our blood will not change our end. What use is having a piece of one person or a part of another? We should not degrade ourselves."

"As King, how can I accept that?" Niall asked. "Not when our bodies make it so easy to join with others? Tell me, Son, did it ever occur to you that the natural way may not be our extinction, but by becoming a part of all that surrounds us? Maybe our end lies not in extincton, but in becoming part of everything?"

"Your heart has ever been one seeking answers, Father," Dillon comforted. "But you see where that leads. Breandan had fallen. Rogan pays Mae's cousin restitution for an act that had no merit." Dillon kissed his Father's cheek, "Claude tells me Breandan was set to betray himself as you did. Like you, he became enamored of her. He intended to marry her by human rites. Claude was certain he would have given her anything she wished, children perhaps, or long life."

"Like her Grandmother," Niall nodded, a single, crystal tear falling over his cheek. In that moment, the King's grief allowed a brief line to appear on his face, a sign of his immense age.

"You must accept what is," Dillon comforted his Father. "Claude is returned to us. The hybrid…" and he paused, and then said, "Sookie is vampire. Your brother is in pain, and it is in these times of grief that bridges may be rebuilt. Perhaps it would be a good time to extend a hand to him."

"As I have in past? Look what that earned me," Niall sniffed.

"He has lost his Son," Dillon pushed. "To lose a child changes how you see the world."

Niall looked in Dillon's face and saw the grief his Son would always carry. He nodded, "You are wise enough now to guide a King. It will be as you say."

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Pam will be joining us tonight," Eric informed Sookie. He was seated at his desk. Sookie had come from the other bedroom, which was now her office. Transforming is had been Bobby Burnham's last act as Eric's human Dayman. Bobby was now resting somewhere deep underground with his new Maker, a female vampire from Sophie-Ann's court.

Sookie was waving a piece of paper, "I've told Maryann she needs to find another bookkeeper, but she insists…"

Eric examined Sookie's feelings. They were confined to the house, using Octavia Fant's protection spell to ward off danger. He could feel Sookie's restlessness and hoped that whatever danger might be, it would pass more quickly. He forced a smile and said, "Why would you wish her to stop using your services? She's happy with the work you do for her and it fills your time. Just because the distance between you delays balancing her ledgers by a few days makes no difference."

"I suppose," Sookie sighed, then drew another deep breath. "Do you think we'll get the all-clear to travel soon?" It wasn't the first time Sookie asked that question tonight.

"We'll see what news Pam brings" Eric replied.

On Pam's first visit, she recounted her visit with Rogan. Pam and Eric agreed it was best to exercise caution. "It could be your stay-at-home honeymoon," Pam had laughed. The news that Sookie was banned from Rogan's territory caused some tears, but on the surface, Sookie seemed to accept the plan. Unfortunately, what Sookie said and what she felt were different, and Eric had been the beneficiary of her frustration at being barred from seeing the people and places she'd come to love.

Sookie turned as if to leave, but then turned back. Eric didn't have to reach out, he knew Sookie felt like a caged animal. "I can feel your unhappiness," he acknowledged. "Your exile from Slievemore sits heavy with you." Sookie's eyes looked bruised, and although he didn't wish her to cry, he told her the truth. "Sookie, you must not hold out hope that Rogan will change his mind. Why not focus on what you'd like to explore in this area? We haven't ventured into Ballytyne yet, but I'm sure Pam will tell us we are free. You may find it interesting. There are shops there and people for you to meet." Eric held out his hand and Sookie complied.

Pulling her toward him, Eric soothed, "I know you will be happy to see Pam again. I'm sure she will confirm we can leave our home without worry." He pulled some more, looking to bring Sookie into his lap, but she resisted.

"Why do you do that?" she challenged, stiffening against his hold.

"What?" Her reaction confused him, her emotions opaque.

Sookie's mouth was downturned, "You are always pulling me to sit on your lap. Children sit on laps, Eric, not grown women. Is that how you see me? Some kind of child?" and Sookie jerked her hand away from him.

"No," Eric sighed. The first few days here with Sookie had been blissful. When Sookie did something that irritated him or when her pacing got on his last nerve, he initiated sex, which smoothed things over, but that cure was starting to wear thin. "My wishing to have you sit against me is not about dominance, it's about being Fae," he explained, wishing she would just accept do what he wanted and stop questioning everything. "We feel best when we are in physical contact with each other. Don't you feel that way?"

"I do," Sookie conceded, "But sitting in your lap? I don't know…it just feels demeaning."

"Well, we could achieve the same thing by lying together on the bed," Eric offered, although at the moment he was not interested in having sex. In fact, they hadn't had sex tonight at all. He'd risen to find Sookie sitting beside him. There was no smile, and her hands and body smelled vaguely of cleaning solutions. She'd sighed, cocked her head to the side and waited. It had been an unfulfilling experience. Eric was starting to understand that his new wife needed the open air. She needed to be doing things she felt to be of value, and Internet shopping didn't qualify.

Eric was less frustrated with the temporary restrictions than Sookie. He had work to do and being stuck inside shouldn't have been a hardship. He liked Sookie, maybe more, but her actions as she flailed against her temporary loss of independence were beginning to fray his patience.

"No," Sookie was sighing, crossing her arms and tapping her foot, "It's just it's always me in your lap, or… I don't know what I'm saying."

"Here," and Eric stood up. He grabbed Sookie and dropped her into his chair and then sat on her lap. He kept most of his weight off her, but with the difference in size, he dwarfed her. Wrapping his arms awkwardly around her neck, he pressed against her thighs a little, "Does that feel better?"

"Get off me, you giant!" Sookie laughed. "Point taken."

"Are you sure?" Eric chuckled, grinding his butt against her, giving her more of his weight. "I'm pretty comfortable here. Doesn't bother me at all."

"Yeah, sure," Sookie laughed and as he lowered himself even further, she shrieked and batted at him, "Get off! You're crushing me. You have a really bony butt."

Eric stood and, pushing Sookie"s chair back, leaned over his desk and shook his butt at her. "I thought you liked my butt? I thought you considered it my best feature."

"That and your gracious plenty," Sookie giggled.

"My what?" and Eric turned, delighted. "You've given him a new name?"

"I have." Sookie rolled her eyes. "Tristan is not a good name. There's nothing about that…" and she stared pointedly at Eric's crotch, "that's sad. You should have that thing bronzed. It deserves a museum… and she looked back at his face, "along with your butt."

Her flattery was making Eric rethink the bed idea, but Sookie eyerolled again and stood. "I'll go find something to do until Pam arrives," she sighed.

"Don't go," Eric called to her. "You had something else on your mind when you walked in here." When Sookie just shrugged, Eric persisted, "What? Tell me!"

"I was reading emails," Sookie sighed. "My brother, Jason is going to visit my Aunt Linda in Minnesota. The Navy gave him leave and Linda asked if I could come. He'll only have a couple weeks before he redeploys and he was asking about me."

"I'm not sure we should leave Ireland right now," Eric told her, confirming what she'd already guessed. "You have your papers, but with the unrest? It's possible the Queen won't agree to grant me permission and I don't wish you traveling without me."

She nodded, but Eric could feel her unhappiness. "It doesn't matter," Sookie sighed. "It's not like I have the money. Squaring away my citizenship took pretty much everything I had. I'll need to rebuild my piggybank before I can think about doing any world traveling."

Eric could tell Sookie was sincere. She wasn't hinting for money, as other women had, and that realization both attracted and irritated him. He was about to remind her that he had money when Sookie asked, "What's that?" She turned from him to look out the window.

"Pam," Eric smiled. "She's almost here. You're feeling her." Eric had felt his Child's progress for several minutes, but it surprised him that Sookie felt Pam as well. He instinctively reached for that part of his connection to Sookie that allowed him to assess how close she was to turning. It was something every vampire could do; an essential part of controlling donors and today it told him Sookie wasn't close to becoming vampire, even if her reactions said otherwise.

Still, her sensitivity to Pam made him frown as he followed her down the stairs. They were in the kitchen when Pam breezed in. "Wow!" she laughed, "No sex tonight? Honeymoon over already?"

"What are you talking about?" Sookie huffed. Pam was right, but she didn't know how her friend knew.

"Nose knows," Pam laughed, then laughed some more as Sookie cringed.

"You have news?" Eric asked, cutting off Pam's teasing.

"It's not great," Pam replied, switching to all business. "I told you I didn't trust Rogan's easy acceptance. I haven't heard anything particular but there's all kinds of mischief going on. She glanced at Sookie, "Breandan's disappeared."

"What do you mean 'disappeared'?" Sookie knew she shouldn't care, but her knees felt weak and she walked to one of the dining room chairs and sat down.

"Preston Pardloe took over as acting manager at The Grand and he isn't talking. The Seelie are in an uproar. Rogan was in Slievemore…" and Pam gave Eric a look.

"I don't believe Rogan would kill him," Eric said, turning as Sookie moaned. His eyebrows pulled together as he felt her grief. He stopped for a moment to truly experience it and the feeling gave him pause. Grief, yes, but guilt too and he didn't like it. If he had to put a name to his reaction, he might have called it jealousy, but in the same instant, he pushed that idea away.

"I'll be back," he said, biting back the angry words he wanted to aim at Sookie. He left the room, moving at top speed up the stairs and closed his office door before pulling out his phone to call Niall Brigant's private number.

"Poor Breandan," Sookie sniffled.

"You left him," Pam reminded her. "You are bonded with my Maker."

"It's not that," Sookie exclaimed. "I don't regret leaving Breandan, but he didn't deserve this."

"And what do you think happened, Sookie? Do you really believe Rogan would kill his only child?" Pam asked.

"I don't know," Sookie replied. "All I do know is I don't trust Rogan. I never did. He killed Mae! Even Breandan was afraid of him, he never said it out loud, but I know he was," Sookie couldn't help it. Her heart was hammering and tears slipped down her cheeks. All she could think of was Breandan as he'd been in Boston, sitting in the bathroom that first night, stroking her Mother's back, rescuing them both. He'd been so beautiful and she imagined never seeing him again, losing him as she'd lost her Mother, and with that, her grief crashed over her.

"You must pull yourself together," Pam hissed, grabbing Sookie's hand. "Even I can feel you. Your emotions are powerful and Eric can't afford to be distracted right now."

Sookie sucked in one breath and then two, trying to get ahold of herself, but it was no good. "I'm sorry!" she sobbed, and in the next instant, she was in Eric's grasp. His arms wrapped around her and he carried her to the front hall.

"Wait for me," he called to Pam, and then his voice was in Sookie's ear, "It is alright, Älskade. I am here. I have you," and Sookie let the floodgates of her mourning open. She cried for her Mother and she cried for the strain of the past week. She cried for Breandan and her family and the fate that made her different from everyone she knew. She sobbed and when she fumbled for tissues, Eric brought her a roll of toilet paper before wrapping her tightly in his arms again.

"I'm sorry," Sookie stammered again.

"You are entitled," Eric crooned. She started to calm, and as her stormy emotions receded, she felt his. He wasn't unhappy, just resigned. "I must speak with Pam," he explained. "Are you feeling better? Perhaps you would like to nap?"

"I am exhausted," Sookie nodded. She didn't want to be left alone, but she was also ashamed at how she'd allowed her emotions to wash over them both.

Eric kissed her forehead, "I will return. I won't be long." He pulled the blanket back and tucked her into bed. He kissed her cheek and left the toilet paper roll beside her.

"No Kleenex, huh?" Sookie sniffed.

"I had no need for them before you came," Eric said quietly. "Now, that has changed."

Eric walked up the stairs and clicked the door shut behind him. He took a deep breath, although it wasn't needed. It helped to settle him, and then, for the first time since they'd bonded, he dampened the tie between himself and Sookie. She was calmer, but her sorrow still colored his thoughts. He walked back into the dining room. Pam was sitting at the table, flicking a knife into the air and catching it, first handle, then blade, over and over. "Let's see if Niall has called back," he said, pulling out his phone.

Eric flashed the screen, showing an icon of the Lucky Charms leprechaun, then hit the redial button. The Fae King answered immediately, "I'm assuming you've heard then?"

Eric hit the speaker button, "Pam is here with me. We heard Breandan Brigant is missing, but we don't know what that means."

"Breandan has exercised his option. He cast off his Father's lineage and now swims with the Selkies," Niall explained.

"I didn't know that was an option for any of you," Eric's eyebrows drew together. Any Fae could pledge himself to another race, but that didn't change what he fundamentally was. Niall's words made it sound as if there was more to Breandan's defection.

"It is a rather dubious gift passed through his Mother's line," Niall explained. "There was a story in Aoife's family that one of her ancestors mated with a Selkie and that for one child in each generation, the ability to transform is granted."

"What are you saying?" Pam asked. "The Selkie are sea creatures…"

"And now, so is Breandan," Niall finished. "He has thrown off his human appearance and pledged to their King. He will never be able to return to the Seelie."

"How did you find out?" Eric asked.

"Claude returned," Niall told them. "He told his Father what happened. Rogan is distraught. My brother has lost everything."

"Are we in danger?" Pam asked.

"I don't think so," Niall sighed. "Not at the moment at least, but soon Rogan's mourning may give way to rage. At least, that has been how he's handled his setbacks in past."

Eric remained quiet, absorbing what he'd heard, and then he made his decision. Looking directly at Pam he said, "My Child is more than ready to handle things here on my behalf for a time. I will ask my Queen to allow her to act as interim Sheriff in my absence. Rogan has no reason to hate her." He pushed his decision at Pam until she bowed her assent, and then, turning back to the phone he continued, "Sookie expressed a desire to visit her Aunt in the United States. I think it makes sense under the circumstances for both of us to be absent from Ireland for a while."

"It might be best," Niall agreed. "Yes, taking her overseas would remove her from harm's way, at least until Rogan has time to accept what has happened."

"I'll remind you of your gratitude when it comes time for my Maker to ask for that favor," Pam said without hesitation. Eric shot her a look, but she just smiled and eventually Eric grinned, too.

"Is my Granddaughter there?" Niall asked. "I would like to hear Sookie's voice."

"My mate is resting," Eric snapped back. He had no reason to feel protective, but his instincts kicked in before he could help it.

"Is she well?" Niall asked.

"She was saddened by the news of Breandan's fall," Pam volunteered.

"Why?" Pam and Eric didn't need to be in the same room to know Niall was genuinely surprised.

"She is a woman," Eric growled. "Who can explain the mysteries of women?"

"I would think that of anyone, you could explain anything related to my Granddaughter now, Northman. You've tied her to you." And there it was. Eric and Niall hadn't spoken directly about the bonding and Eric wondered if the King would bring it up, and now that he had, Eric thought of Sookie's fretting over being housebound. He wondered if some part of her agitation was really about being bonded.

"I find it difficult to overlook this, Northman. I feel you have stolen her from me. Now there may be no hope of reclaiming her. I want you to tell me you had no choice. Tell me this bonding wasn't your way of fulfilling your vow to take her."

"The bonding was not my choice," Eric replied, "but I won't regret it." It was pride that pushed the Viking to claim his state. Pam watched her Maker with glowing eyes. It wasn't in the great Eric Northman to regret any thing that happened to him, and she knew Eric would find what was best in his circumstances.

"I will expect you to make certain my Granddaughter feels the same way," Niall told the vampire. "I won't be pleased if she doesn't. Understand me, Viking," and the call ended.

"So, Breandan isn't dead," Pam said after a bit.

"No," Eric shook his head, "But for some, his current state is worse. Rogan is in a difficult place. His killing Mae created larger troubles. None doubt it was his right, but for Sookie? No Seelie would see Sookie as being worthy of the death of one of their own and that was when they considered her a bastard child. Now, joined to a vampire, she's worth even less." Eric opened his tie with Sookie. She was resting, but not sleeping. Her feelings were less stormy, but still sad. "Most will see Breandan's action as proof that Rogan disgraced himself. No one will blame Sookie. I think we can risk leaving the boundaries of the house now."

"When do you plan to leave for America?" Pam asked.

"As soon as I secure the Queen's permission," Eric replied. "You are ready to step into my role while I travel?"

"Well," and Pam grinned, "You already told Niall I am, so I guess the answer is 'yes.'"

"Do you want the business in Slievemore for your own?" Eric asked.

"Truly?" and Pam's grin widened. "I do find I like the place. Yes, absolutely!"

"You are fond of your human, aren't you?" Eric asked.

"Being fond of humans seems to be a family trait," Pam teased. "Yes, I am fond of Maryann. We suit each other. She puts me in my place when I need it."

"With Breandan gone, Rogan has no excuse to continue Sookie's exile," Eric mused. He reached out for his wife again, playing at the bond like a sore tooth. "Sookie will miss seeing you. She misses the place she made her home. It would be better if she was free to travel as she likes."

"You don't think she'd find Slievemore holds too many bad memories?" Pam asked. "Humans are sentimental about things, Eric. I'll grant you, Ballytyne is going to be too small for her, but there are other places. She wanted a B&B. Maybe you should encourage her to pursue that."

"She won't take my money," Eric growled. "She said she would, but she won't. I tried to buy her a car. She agreed, but we spent hours looking over the Internet and she rejected every one. I don't understand it! Every woman I have met was anxious to use my money. Every woman, until now."

"Maryann told me that she and her husband divorced over money," Pam nodded. "She said they never talked about it enough, and so it became a problem between them. They fought over who paid bills and what investments to make. I looked it up on the Internet and it says money is the number one reason people divorce."

"There is no reason to discuss it," Eric fumed. "I have more money than I can spend. It shouldn't be a problem."

"Sookie is proud," Pam grinned. "She wants to know she can contribute, like a team." When Eric continued to scowl, Pam laughed. "You really don't have a clue, do you? Don't you remember being married before?"

"Aude brought a dowry," Eric snorted, but then he made an effort to try and remember all the rules and traditions. Aude and been his brother's wife, and she became his when his brother died. Their marrying kept her dowry and her family's pledge to defend in times of war intact. They'd married, fucked, and that had been all. Eric moved into his brother's house, took over his brother's possessions, which included Aude, and added to their wealth as he could.

"Aude rarely spoke to me," Eric remembered. "She knew her place and I knew mine."

"Well, things are different now and sharing this kind of information goes with the territory," Pam told him. "It's not just the money that has you growling, Eric. What else is bothering you?"

"It's not easy sharing my house," Eric conceded.

"Why? Does Sookie throw wild parties while you're resting?" Pam snorted.

Eric mentally smacked Pam and she punched his arm in return. "No," he sighed, "It's not any one thing. It's many things. She… she wears her shoes in the house. She knows I don't like it, but she does." When Pam's eyes narrowed, Eric continued, "And she cleans! She uses cleanser and soaps. It changes how things smell. I never know what I'm going to walk into. Yesterday she cleaned the bathroom in our chamber. I thought I'd be sick when I rose. I told her not to do it again, and she became angry with me."

Pam was biting her lips, and Eric had a sneaking suspicion she was trying not to laugh. "And there's more!" he continued. "She cooks things and the whole house smells. The books in my library were out of order, and she leaves her computer running. It makes the room smell of ozone."

"Anything else?" Pam choked.

"No," Eric shook his head. He felt disloyal, complaining this way, and he found himself reaching out to check on Sookie again.

"Why don't you go see how she's doing?" and Pam did laugh. "I can feel you poking at her. She was pretty upset earlier and you've left her alone too long. Besides, I want to get back before it gets too late."

"Sookie is a grown woman," Eric protested, clearly caught out. "She knows what she needs. I don't need to be running after her."

"But you want to," Pam laughed. "You want to be with her all the time."

"I have better things to do," Eric protested. "Many things. I am not…"

"In love with her?" Pam finished. "Yeah, you are, but don't worry. Your secret's safe with me," Pam stood and gathered her things. "I'll keep my ear to the ground. Let me know when you finalize your plans. Tell Sookie goodbye for me, and tell her I'll bring Maryann out to visit before you leave."

Eric sighed, and then rose, wrapping his daughter in his embrace, "You are most precious to me, Pam. Turning you was my finest moment."

"You're sweet to acknowledge it," Pam grinned. "Tell Sookie goodbye for me," and she left, racing through the kitchen, slamming the door on the way.

Eric turned off lights before heading back downstairs. Sookie was cuddled on her side, reading a book of poetry she'd borrowed from his library upstairs. "Pam sends her regards and wishes you to know she will be back to visit soon," he told her. "She'll bring Maryann."

"I'm sorry I fell apart," Sookie sighed. "I should have come upstairs to say goodbye, but frankly, I was ashamed for the way I behaved."

"I understand," Eric told her, although he really didn't.

"You cut me off for a while, didn't you?" Sookie asked.

Eric wondered if she'd realize what he'd done. "Yes, I muted our bond. Your grief… I spoke with your Grandfather. I know what happened to Breandan." He sat on the bed and gathered Sookie into his arms. Once more, he felt his body relax, just being in contact with her. She laid her head on his shoulder and he told her what Niall said.

"Breandan told me that story about his family and the Selkies when we were in Boston," Sookie told Eric. "I told him it was a little too leprechauns and shamrocks for me. I feel most days like I've stumbled into a mad world where nothing makes sense."

"It is uncomfortable, knowing that legends are true," Eric comforted her. "Fairy tales are tricky that way. They can be both good and bad but you can't have one without the other." He waited as Sookie settled more before saying, "When you get up tomorrow, you can go outside." He looked at her under lowered eyebrows, "And if you'd agreed to the car you might have been able to explore further than the land around the house."

"Really?" and Eric felt Sookie's sudden happiness. "Outside?"

"I think we should take that trip to America, as well," Eric nodded. "I think you should see your brother."

"Really?" and Sookie stilled in his arms.

It was there, that growing hope that warmed Eric. "Yes," he told her. "It would please you?"

"I can't afford it," and he felt Sookie's sense of defeat.

"But I can," Eric told her, and when Sookie turned away, he said, "We are pledged. Everything I have is yours, and what's yours is now mine."

He could feel he'd caught her with a new thought and she snorted, "Well, you got the shit end of the stick then, Mr. Northman, because I have nothing!"

"You're wrong, Sookie. You have everything," Eric crooned and as he captured her lips, he realized it was true. When he pulled back he used Pam's words, "I am told that money issues are the reason most couples become unhappy. Perhaps we should talk about this now, before it causes more strife between us."

It took close to an hour, and there were still things that were unresolved, but they did decide on a joint checking account. Sookie would handle the bills and they would both discuss larger purchases. Eric didn't mention his other accounts, taking victory from the progress they'd made.

"What else?" Sookie asked. Eric thought about not mentioning more, but he knew she'd felt something.

"I will confess to you that I am still struggling with sharing my space," Eric told her.

"Thank goodness," Sookie sighed. "Me too! I mean, with Breandan, it was easier." When Eric started to look stormy, Sookie grabbed his sleeve, "Let me explain. That didn't come out right. It's just, with Breandan, I always had this feeling in the back of my head that it wasn't going to last. He didn't bug me because, I guess, in some stupid way I didn't think he wasn't permanent." Sookie rolled her eyes, "This is all coming out wrong, but, bottom line, I knew he wasn't the one."

"Then, why did you agree to marry him?" Eric stilled. He hadn't thought this question was important, but suddenly, it was.

"I told myself I was overthinking things," Sookie explained. "All my life, my Mom told me I thought things to death. She told me that I missed opportunities because I was too busy analyzing. The way he asked? The setting? I thought if I just went along, somehow it would all turn out, but I knew in my heart it was a mistake."

"And now?" Eric asked her. "How do you feel about me?"

"With you, Eric, I'm in real danger," Sookie said, looking directly in his eyes. "I want to believe we won't work. I want to believe you're like him." Eric found himself growling, but he stopped when Sookie laid her hand against his chest. "But you're not like him, not at all! You care about me. I just behaved horribly, and any other guy would have been angry and mean, but you? You are sitting here, making it better. You try. You talk with me, and I feel myself slipping past the point of no return with you."

"You bother me," Eric nodded. "You break my rules. You move things around. Things smell differently. I should be angry, but I'm not."

"Do you think this is love?" Sookie asked.

"Pam says it is," Eric told her. He closed his eyes and leaned into Sookie's touch.

"That Pam," Sookie smiled, "She knows things," and grabbing the front of Eric's shirt, Sookie raised her lips to capture his.


	31. Chapter 30- And Far Away

**Chapter 30 – … And Far Away**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Outside! Sookie was so happy, she jumped from their bed and marched out their front door! She stood in the yard, staring up at the stars. It was dark here, so far from any city, and Sookie felt as if it had been ages since she'd really seen the night sky. Eric stood behind her, his hands resting on her shoulders and together, they looked up, content just to be standing next to each other.

It was cooler now at night and after a short time, Sookie couldn't help shivering. Eric wrapped his arms around her, drawing her against him, but aside from cutting the breeze, it didn't help much. He had no body warmth to give her and he couldn't help stealing her own. Sookie considered going inside to pull a blanket from a bed, but it was getting late and she'd been up well before sunset. She yawned, then yawned again.

"Do you think you'll get any sleep at all?" Eric chuckled.

"What do you mean?" she asked, resting her head against his shoulder.

"You are so excited! You appear calm, but your emotions are dancing, my Lover!" Eric pulled her closer to him, "Perhaps you would like to work off some of that energy. You could look up into the sky while I help you celebrate your freedom."

"Kind offer," Sookie grinned, "but the idea of lying on the stones out here is not appealing!" The bedrock in this part of Ireland had offered the best opportunity for a basement, but it also meant the ground was hard and sprouted rocks. Even lying on a blanket couldn't guarantee that a shift or roll wouldn't find a jagged edge poking into some inconvenient place.

"There is our bed, inside, then?" Eric purred some more, "Or should I build a fire and take you in the firelight?" His fingers traced over the contours of her body, "I would watch the shadows create patterns on you, and I would kiss each one."

"You are a sweet talker, Mr. Northman!" Sookie sighed.

"You are sweet," he hissed in return, dragging his fangs against her neck, making her think he meant a different kind of 'sweet.'

As things happened, Sookie did sleep, and quite well. It was after lunch when she finally rose, wrapped in the arms of her vampire. "Is it me or my warmth?" Sookie asked as she levered her way out of Eric's grasp. She was half-way to the bathroom when she remembered, ' _I'm free!_ '

Sookie rushed through her shower and pulled on clothes, allowing her hair to hang wet. She made herself slow long enough to secure all the locks to Eric's chamber, then she hit the brew button on the coffeemaker Eric set up for her last night. ' _Eric!_ ' she remembered the way he'd moved over her last night, never letting her doubt how desired she was. ' _Our home. Us_.' The words ran through her head, making her feel warm, and then, as the first hisses of the pot started, she walked toward the front of the house, pulled apart the chains, turned the key and knobs, and opened the front door to behold the day.

Sookie knew they were on top of a hill, but the view she had was disappointing. She found herself looking at another hill that rose before her, and then she remembered Eric telling her that he situated the house in a slight valley. Sookie settled her plans. She headed back into the house and looked for a travel mug. Not finding one, she sighed and instead, taking the largest mug she could find, filled it, and headed out again. She sipped and strolled, taking her time, picking her way up the steep hill to the left. It didn't feel as if she was making progress until she looked behind her and noticed how the house seemed to have dropped away. She finished her coffee by the time she was atop the bluff hill and from there, she could see the countryside all around her.

Sookie was sure she could see the sea and there were rainclouds coming from that direction, but, for now, she stood in sunshine that made the green around her almost glow. She couldn't help it; she laughed aloud.

"So, you've survived then?" Sookie spun around to find Claudine standing right behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Sookie knew it was a rude thing to say, but Claudine startled her.

"Northman spoke with Niall last night. Grandfather wanted to speak with you, but the vampire refused. Niall sent me to make sure you're still…well, you are," and Claudine smiled brightly.

"It sure would be nice if some folks trusted other folks," Sookie growled. "Anyway, it's nice to see you, too, Claudine, and yes, I'm fine."

"So, being bonded to the vampire suits you?" Claudine trilled her bell-like laugh before saying, "I can smell it does!"

"Really?" Sookie just shook her head, "What is it about you Fae and sniffing me? Pam does it, now you? It makes me want to shower all the time, not that I think it would help much!"

"Is he as large as they say?" Claudine asked. Her eyes glowed, "It's been many ages since he took one of us as his lover, but they say…"

"If you think I'm going to discuss my sex life with you, you're sadly mistaken," Sookie cut her off. "I get that the Fae 'see sex differently,' but I don't!"

"Still," Claudine pressed, "there are some things…"

"…That you just don't need to know!" Sookie exclaimed.

"Fine!" Claudine sniffed, "Be like that!" and then Claudine turned so she could share Sookie's view. "It is beautiful!" she sighed. "There are magic places all over this world, but here is where our essence shines brightest!" and she raised her arms and closed her eyes, seeming in worship. After a few moments, she turned back to Sookie, "Show me your true face, cousin, and then, show me how you mask your scent!"

They worked at it for hours. When Sookie's stomach grumbled, Claudine summoned plates that held honeycombs and fruits. "Really?" Sookie huffed.

"I like to live well," Claudine shrugged, licking off her fingers. It was totally over-the-top Disney fairytale, but, Sookie had to admit, there was something to it. When she finished what was on her plate, Claudine produced a golden bread that tasted so light, yet sat so heavy, Sookie found herself full after a few bites.

"So, how are you doing, really?" Claudine asked.

"Well," Sookie shrugged, then looked more fully at her cousin as she added, "Really well."

"That's good," Claudine nodded. "I knew Northman cared for you. It would have been difficult if you hadn't reached an agreement." They ate in silence for a little bit before Claudine volunteered, "Your secret is no longer a secret."

"What does that mean?" and Sookie sat back.

"The Fae talk. Someone told someone about your relationship to Niall and it didn't take long for all the old stories to resurface. There was some trouble among my people, grumbling, but, thankfully, we were able to put it to rest by telling everyone that you're bonded to a vampire," and Claudine grinned.

"So, how does that help, exactly?" Sookie asked. "I'm guessing that my marrying Eric makes me lower than low…"

"In a manner of speaking," Claudine laughed. "It is such an outrageous choice that now polite people will have to ignore you. It really was such a clever solution!"

"I guess," Sookie sighed. Her Mother used to say that some people were ' _as welcome as a fart in church_ ,' but Sookie never thought she'd have people thinking that way about her and it didn't make her feel good.

"Rogan is still subdued," Claudine was continuing. "Claude has been pretty quiet, too, playing the dutiful son. He did ask about you, but Niall told him to mind his own business. I've never seen my brother apologize so quickly. He is trying to mend fences. My Father is ready to accept him, but it may take a long time with Grandfather."

"Why?" Sookie asked. She realized with a start that she hated Claude. She was only interested so she could use the information against him later, and Sookie wondered when she'd become so cynical.

"Claude fought against Niall," Claudine informed her, "in the last great war. He aligned with Grandmother and our sister." Claudine's eyes glistened, "Claudia was lost in those battles. Grandmother, too."

"I can't see you fighting to the death," Sookie shook her head. Claudine seemed so civilized, so soft.

"The Fae run hot," Claudine laughed that tinkling laugh again. "You think Rogan is the only one capable of striking? I keep a list of my fallen foes and it's one I'm not embarrassed to sing about when the mood takes me," and Claudine's eyes suddenly seemed more feral, then, just as quickly, she returned to being happy, carefree Claudine. "Grandfather thinks Rogan won't cause you any more trouble. He thinks he can heal the rift with his brother, now that Breandan's gone."

"Eric told me that Breandan became a seal," Sookie felt foolish saying the words, but Claudine didn't seem to think it was silly.

"It wasn't enough that Mae's cousin is threatening Rogan. I think his demands are unreasonable, but there are some who have been waiting the opportunity to attack. Now that Rogan's found trouble, there are many lining up to exact their own revenge. And, of course, you're right about Breandan. He'll never walk among us again."

"He can't shed his skin?" Sookie asked. It was the tale Breandan had told her, the one about his ancestress who had shed her skin and been captured.

"Not for a long time," Claudine replied. "Maybe never. He has foresworn the Seelie. It would take a lot to make him change his mind."

"I don't know," Sookie shrugged. "He never seemed to be able to make it up when he was with me."

Claudine gave Sookie a hard look before saying, "Well, regardless of what you think of his sincerity, the Selkies believe him, which means Rogan's lost more allies. He used Aoife and Breandan's connections to influence them. Now, they've transferred their loyalty to Breandan, so Rogan will have to find new messenger boys."

"Couldn't happen to a nicer guy," Sookie sniffed.

"You really could be one of us," Claudine laughed. "I feel the same way about it myself, but blood will tell. Grandfather will offer an open hand and he and Rogan will come together again for another hundred years. We'll all be left watching, wondering when the next rift will emerge." Claudine cocked her eyebrow, "Of course, that's good news for you, too. Without Rogan's influence, the Selkies won't harass you anymore. In fact, if Rogan were to try to hurt you, they would probably align with the vampires against him. Yes," and Claudine tapped her lips with her long, tapered finger, "Rogan really has lost everything."

After lunch, Claudine suggested Sookie show her what else she could do magically. There was something in the way she was watching Sookie that put the hybrid on edge. Rather than demonstrate things she hadn't shown Claudine, she restricted herself to her whirlwind and she concentrated, keeping the column that formed on the small side. "You did better that night with Eric," Claudine scolded. "Make it bigger!" but Sookie resisted.

"What about calling the birds?" Claudine prompted.

"I'm not sure I remember how," Sookie lied.

After a while, Sookie let the column balancing on her hand disappear, and then, turning to Claudine, asked, "Well, you can do all these things, too, right?"

"No," Claudine told her. "No, my magic is different. I can move from place to place, which is unique, but mostly I have the same magic any Fae has. I can beguile people, what you call glamouring. I can grant certain wishes when specifically asked and I can do good deeds or pranks involving natural things."

"Like Breandan making the dishes wash themselves?" Sookie asked.

"Yes, like that," Claudine confirmed before asking, "Can you do that?"

"I don't think so," Sookie replied, "but I've never tried."

Claudine glanced in the direction of the house before saying, "You should try it and let me know. You can mask your scent perfectly now."

"You don't want to go inside, do you?" Sookie was pretty sure she knew the answer.

"No," Claudine shook her head. "Most Seelie won't willingly enter the Sheriff's house."

"Why?" Sookie could sense there was a story, but Claudine just shook her head.

"Ask your mate," she replied.

The sun was starting to set and Sookie felt it, that first whisper of Eric returning to her. She couldn't help it, her face turned toward the house and she felt things in her body perk up.

"Wow, that couldn't have been clearer! Northman must be really good, then," Claudine giggled. Sookie blushed, realizing how programmed she'd become. "I will give Grandfather your greetings and let him know you're well," and Claudine kissed Sookie on the cheek and then the mouth. "Grandfather says you will leave for America soon. You should practice your skills there, if you have an opportunity. You will find it harder, but it will make you stronger when you return."

"I will," Sookie promised. The feeling from Eric was growing and it made Sookie take a deep breath. It felt almost as though she was swimming up through deep waters, pacing him as they both raced for the surface.

"He summons you, even from his sleep?" Claudine mused. "Interesting," and then she was gone.

"No one summons me!" Sookie grumbled. "Jeez!" She looked around her, making sure she was alone, and then, with a casual flick of thought, she moved a rock several feet. The birds were starting to sing for the closing of day and Sookie reached out her thoughts to call them to her. In no time, she was surrounded by them. There were some songbirds, mostly there were the noisy ravens who cawed and cackled.

The sun disappeared behind clouds. Sookie knew she wouldn't see it again until tomorrow and she shivered with the cool breeze of evening. On instinct, she raised her hand and it was as though she'd thrown up a wall. She could see the breeze flowing around her and she marveled at the sight.

"You have been busy, my Lover," Eric said from behind her.

"You blocked our bond," Sookie realized.

"I wanted to see what you'd been up to," Eric answered. "I could feel your joy," and he looked fully at her. "You are so beautiful this way. Different," and Sookie realized she'd forgotten her Fae face was revealed.

"Claudine was here. She asked me to drop my masque. I forgot!" she exclaimed, starting to pull her regular appearance back, but Eric stopped her.

"Don't!" he protested. "I find I like looking at you this way. Allow me to explore, my wife." He approached slowly, sampling the air as he progressed. When he was standing just in front of her, he raised his hand to cup her cheek, "You have learned to shield your magic as well. I thank you for that!"

"I didn't do it for you!" Sookie chuckled, but then realized she did. "Well, maybe," she conceded.

"What were you doing?" Eric asked. Sookie didn't feel the same warning bells she did when she was with Claudine, but, still, some small part of her didn't entirely trust Eric Northman. Taking a deep breath, Sookie lifted her chin and showed him. She showed him how she was able to communicate with birds. She brought them to her and had them fly around in a circle once. She didn't hold them long, knowing they needed to find their night roosts. "You are so clever!" Eric purred and Sookie felt his pride in her.

"Let me show you what else," she gushed, her suspicion forgotten. With an enthusiasm Sookie hadn't felt since her Father was alive, Sookie stretched her magic, trying things she knew and things she'd only imagined. She moved and stacked rocks. She gathered dew from the grass and formed it into one, large waterdrop, which she then allowed to fall to the ground with a splash! She made the grass move, first in one direction, and then, with a wave of her hand, lean the opposite direction. She was so joyful, she didn't realize Eric had become still. It wasn't until she threw up another wall, making the wind break around them that she saw his face. "What?" she asked.

"Did you show all of this to Claudine?" Eric's head was cocked to one side and his expression serious.

Sookie bit her lip, "No," and she shook her head. "No, I didn't show her anything she hadn't already seen."

"I think it might be best you keep it that way," Eric nodded. He took Sookie's hands in his own and then stared at her upturned palms. After a minute, he curled his fingers around hers. "What you have is very special," he told her. "In over a thousand years, I've never seen anything like it."

"You don't trust them? My relatives, I mean?" and Sookie reached out, trying to read both his face and his feelings.

"Yes, Älskade," he replied as he continued to stare at their hands, "and no. They are Seelie. They covet treasure. They fear what they don't possess. You, with your beauty and your gifts, are all of those things."

"You think Claudine would make trouble for us?" Sookie didn't really have to ask the question. She could see it in Eric's eyes. "Why?"

"Niall is distracted by your lineage," Eric replied. "He sees the great love of his life in your face. It's why he likes you to become as you are now. He doesn't see Her when you are revealed as Fae." Eric shifted and Sookie could tell he was considering how to frame his words. "If Niall were to understand the span of your powers, I think he would decide it would be safer for you to live under his control. He would tell himself it would be for your protection, but it would really be for his."

"Isn't that how I'm living now?" Sookie challenged. She glanced back toward the house and Eric realized how much being restricted within the walls of the house had galled her.

"You do not live under my control!" Eric protested. "I don't seek to direct you! Yes, we had to stay within the protection of Octavia Fant's wards until we were certain assassins weren't lying in wait, but I have no interest in imprisoning you." Eric tilted Sookie's jutting chin so he could look in her eyes. "Don't you know that about me, Lover?"

Sookie felt ashamed, "Yes," and she stiffly nodded. "Yes, I know you're not like that. I think I'm just tired of the drama. I want to be able to be who I am, who I'm learning to be, without having to second guess what I tell whom, and who sees what."

"And who among us has that luxury?" Eric chuckled. "Our world, the Supe world, is politics, Sookie. The sooner you learn that, the easier it will be."

"Well, what if I don't want that?" and Sookie's chin jutted further. "I thought I had some tough times before, but living cheap in America was a lot easier than living any way here. Maybe it is time I went home."

"Where is your home, now, Sookie?" Eric had become still in that way that was uniquely his. He placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "You have chosen to become more Fae. Each time you slip the leash from your gifts, you become more of what you were destined to be. Can't you feel it? I can! You are more magic now than you were in Boston. Do you truly believe you can go back to the way things were?"

Sookie looked up into the darkening sky. Like last night, the vastness of the stars stretched above her, layer upon layer of lights that stretched up into infinity. "I'm not sure I want to live this way," she said.

Eric cupped her cheek in his hand. He traced the sweep of her bone from nose to temple, and then he smiled when she did, "And what of this?" he asked. "Would you have us go back to what we were?"

Sookie shook her head, "No." She placed one hand on his arm and, with the other hand, she reached up to draw his head down to hers. "Älskade," she tried out his word for her. "You really are trouble, too!"

Eric's eyes flared as she said it. His kiss was demanding, and even though he had no warmth of his own, Sookie soon found herself burning. His arm hooked around her, crushing her against him, and his head angled so he could plunder her mouth more easily. Sookie was breathless when he finally pulled away, "Mine!" he rasped. When she just stared at him, too love-struck for words, he growled, "I will never let you go! You are mine as I am yours, Sookie. We are bonded."

For Sookie, this didn't feel like prison; it didn't feel like the house. Instead, the idea of being trapped with Eric in chains forged of blood felt safe. "Together?" she whispered against his lips.

"Together," he agreed. His hands traveled, first over her clothes, and then under. The idea of making love on the cooling ground gave Sookie pause, but then her pants were down and Eric was turning her, placing her hands against a rock. He kicked her legs apart, then reached between, massaging and tapping, scissoring and petting. She felt his thick head against her entrance, and then his hand was on her shoulder, holding her as he pressed home.

He pumped into her several times and then pulled out. His action was so sudden, Sookie staggered, almost falling, but Eric caught her. He turned her and lifted, pushing her back against the rock. "Put me where I belong!" he growled and she reached between them, bringing him again to her entrance. It was primal, this coupling, and Sookie found herself staring at his glowing eyes, and then at the stars above them as he made her fly, her cries lost to the sky above.

He didn't take his meal until they had both reached completion. It was almost lost to her, the quick sting of his fangs barely registering in the bliss of their afterglow. "Bite me," he whispered.

"Why?" Sookie sighed back, basking in the idea of her flowing into him just as he had flowed into her.

"Because I wish it," he whispered.

Sookie opened her eyes. His shoulder was beneath her cheek and she turned her head, even though that made his fangs pull at her skin. It took two bites to draw blood, although once she did, Eric shuddered and she felt him grow hard within her again. "Min hustru!" he purred, and then started moving.

Eric adjusted her, lifting her a little higher and Sookie suddenly felt cold rock against her skin. "Eric?" she gasped, and then "Eric, stop!" when he didn't seem to hear her.

"What?" he was not pleased and Sookie felt his need pushing at her.

"I've rubbed my shirt through. We should go inside," and her body chose that moment to register the cold in a long, sustained shiver.

Eric didn't step back. He simply gathered her against him and they were flying. He wrapped her in one, strong arm while the other fumbled with the front door. Sookie marveled at his strength. She wasn't a tiny woman, but Eric handled her as if she was. It was a strange idea that this man could lift her and move her so easily, and it appealed to some cavewoman instinct Sookie hadn't realized was there. The moment the door opened, Sookie kissed Eric like she meant it and soon discovered that the floor in the front hall was not as cold as the rock on the hill, but just as hard.

Later, as they lay in front of a peat fire, Sookie picking at the meal she'd prepared, she found herself staring again at Eric's perfect profile. "When we get to America, how will I introduce you?" she asked.

Eric turned to look at her. He was stretched on his back, his arms under his head. He was magnificently naked, having wrapped the blanket around her. "Eric Northman," he shrugged.

"Yeah, I get that," Sookie swatted him. "No, what I meant was, do I introduce you as my husband? I mean, these are my human relatives. It's not like we're married in their eyes."

"We're Fae," Eric answered nonchalantly, "It doesn't matter what they think. You are my wife in the only way that matters."

"I guess," Sookie sighed. She didn't bother hiding her disappointment and soon enough, Eric sat up.

"What?" he challenged. "What is it?"

"Am I Fae?" and Sookie raised her eyebrows. "Really? No one in the U.S. thinks of me that way and to hear folks around here talk, I'm not Fae to them either. I'm some weird half-breed nothing no one respects."

"I won't hear you talk about yourself this way," Eric growled. "You are Fae, more Fae than most of them. You have powers they will never have."

"Powers I can't show anyone, so it's me and Spiderman. All anyone sees is meek-mannered, means nothing, Sookie Stackhouse!" and Sookie stood, taking her dishes with her. "Aunt Linda isn't going to believe I got married and if she does, she's going to be pretty hurt that I didn't have the decency to tell her in advance."

"You are making too much of this," Eric growled, rising as well. "You will tell them and they will accept it. If they don't, I'll glamour them…"

"Oh, no, you won't!" Sookie growled right back. "You aren't going to mess with the heads of my relatives and that's final."

"You don't know what you want," Eric snarled. Sookie was bombarding him with anger and irritation, and a great deal of it seemed to be aimed right at him. "We are married. You say it and they will accept it."

Sookie's eyes narrowed, "Really? And what if something happens to me? What if I'm in an accident or I get put in a hospital, will they let you in to see me? Will you be able to make decisions for me? They want proof, Eric, legal documents, so you claiming that you kissed some knife isn't going to cut it!"

It was a clever pun and normally Eric would have laughed, but Sookie was crossing a line with him. "I gave up living by human rules over a thousand years ago," he tried to explain calmly, although it came out as a hiss. "You are with me, one of us. You need to learn our rules." When Sookie didn't answer, her chin jutting forward and her arms crossed, Eric continued, "Of course, they will let me in. Sookie, I'm a vampire! I glamour everyone," and then he smiled a little, thinking it would defuse things, "Everyone but you, my Lover."

"So, you don't really want to marry me," and Sookie wasn't angry any more. She was sad, and Eric found himself rocking back on his heels, trying to figure out what had just happened.

"But…we are married," he stumbled, taking Sookie's hand and rubbing his thumb across the ring he'd given her.

"Yeah," she nodded, "Sure," and walked away from him. Eric didn't feel happiness from her. He was pretty sure Sookie didn't accept what he'd told her and it made his teeth grind.

Eric followed Sookie into the kitchen. She was washing her dish in the sink and he wrapped his arms around her. "What is it you want of me?" he asked.

"I want…" and Sookie exhaled. She thought of her romance novels, where the hero fell to his knees, asking, begging, the woman he loved to marry him, and then she thought of that moment in front of the Queen after Eric had kissed the knife and slid the ring on her finger. It had been special, yet, somehow, it wasn't the same. There had been no vows spoken nor promises made. "I guess I want the fairytale," she sighed.

"You want a human wedding." Sookie could feel how little the idea appealed to Eric. If she had to put a word to it, she would have called it disgust.

"Well, I can feel that you don't," she shrugged her way out of his arms. "So, I guess that settles it."

"It should!" Eric growled, "But it doesn't," and he followed her as she walked away from him again.

This time, Sookie headed up to her office. She sat down at her desk. She could feel Eric hovering at the door. She signed into her email account. There was an email from Amelia. The subject line was, 'Pregnancy sucks!' Sookie drew a deep breath. Her throat tightened. She had felt this before, the jarring sense that she no longer lived a life she understood. She had grown up with one set of rules and suddenly, she was someplace where none of those rules applied. There would be no white wedding, no babies, and family. She would live instead in a beautiful, but curiously sterile world; one where all the faces were adult and there were those who counted and those who didn't. She stared at the ring on her finger. Did she love him? She suspected she did, probably more than she should, though the sacrifices she needed to make to be with him seemed almost too much to bear.

"I will marry you by your custom," Eric said from the doorway. "If it means so much to you, then I will do it."

"It doesn't matter," Sookie shook her head, not looking at him. "It won't change how things are. You're right," and she shrugged. "I just need to accept that everything's different for me now," and two fat tears rolled down Sookie's cheek.

His arms were around her. He lifted her and pulled her into his lap, and then stilled. In another instant, he was standing, carrying her into the master bedroom, setting her on the small couch, and then sitting down beside her. It was such a sweet gesture, letting Sookie know he had listened and was trying. "I think we should wed in your way," he pressed. "I think there are some things that shouldn't change for you. You have changed for me. I will learn to change for you. I think that is important."

"I don't want you doing something that violates some rule," Sookie sighed.

"It doesn't," Eric shook his head, then said, "but no minister. There are those who are authorized to say the words that aren't affiliated with one of your religions. I will say the words in front of one of those."

"Oh," and Sookie thought about that before asking, "Is that a vampire thing?"

"No," Eric said rather stiffly, "That is a human thing."

"You have a problem with religion?" Sookie asked.

"I have a problem with modern religions," Eric nodded.

"So, you consider yourself to be religious?" she asked carefully.

"I honor my gods," he replied. "I may be the only one left who remembers them."

"I'm okay with that," Sookie nodded. She could feel Eric's vulnerability in that moment and she wondered at how lonely it must be to have everyone you know and care about die while you continue on, stuck in place. "I guess it's good you have Pam," she whispered. "I'm really glad you do."

"Why do you say that, Älskade?" he asked.

"Because I don't want to think of you finding yourself all alone," Sookie said against his chest. "You're a good man. You deserve to have people who walk this world with you."

"You have a kind heart," Eric whispered. He could feel his attraction for this woman. It swelled within him, making the idea of ever being without her unimaginable. ' _Love_ ,' he thought.

"Me, too," Sookie said, wrapping her arms around him.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Three nights later, Sookie was Skyping with her Aunt. "So, let me get this straight," her Aunt was saying. "You're married, just not to Breandan."

"That's right," Sookie confirmed.

"And it's not a legal marriage."

"That's not what I said," Sookie explained for the second time. "It's legal here in Ireland, but it's not recognized in the United States. We could file paperwork and go through channels, but it would mean a lot to me if we could get remarried there, with all of you. I checked the laws in Minnesota and…"

"You want to be married here? Is there something you're not telling me, Sookie?" Linda looked skeptical.

A tall, blond man appeared behind her Aunt. His face got close to the camera and he said, "I'm your Uncle Lars, Sookie. So, you want to get married here, on the farm? That's real nice! It would mean your brother, Jason, could be here with you. It's good to have these times with your family."

"Lars!" Aunt Linda scolded.

"Come on, Linda, Sweetie," the giant scolded right back. "Your only niece is coming home to get married in your front room? You know you're going to go crazy making it nice for her."

Sookie watched her Aunt eyeroll, but when Linda spoke next, it was in a more pleasant tone, "Well, at least it's not that Breandan! So, you better tell me about this young man of yours."

Sookie told her Aunt and her Uncle Lars the things she thought would make Eric sound most normal. She had just finished explaining that Eric owned a number of pubs when Eric walked into her office. "A bartender?" Linda exclaimed.

"Sounds like a good addition," Uncle Lars chuckled, then elbowed Sookie's Aunt.

"Not a bartender," Eric corrected, walking into the camera view, "although I can do that, too. I am Eric Northman," and he bowed a little. "I am looking forward to meeting both of you."

"So, why did Sookie say you were involved with bars?" Aunt Linda asked once the introductions were finished.

"I told you that Eric owns bars, not that he tends bar," Sookie clarified for her Aunt.

"We call them pubs," Eric added, "I own three at the moment and I'm looking forward to opening another soon."

"A real businessman!" Lars exclaimed. "That's good, right, Linda?"

"I'm happy for you," Linda said, looking directly at the camera. "Of course, we'd be honored to arrange a wedding for you here. I think it's a great idea."

Sookie wondered at her Aunt's sudden support and she turned, squinting at Eric. "We are most grateful," Eric was saying smoothly, ignoring Sookie's stare.

"Of course, you'll be staying here, with us," Linda said as if there were no question.

"Unfortunately, we will need to stay in the Cities," Eric replied, making a show of placing his arm around Sookie's shoulders and leaning toward the camera so his face was beside hers. "We were able to arrange things so our trip is mostly paid by attending a trade convention. I'll need to be in meetings all day. Sookie will be able to get away, but I won't. I apologize, but attending is important if I'm to grow my business and properly support your niece. This one being in Minnesota seemed like fate. I know how Sookie feels about being married in front of her family. It was the one sadness to our being married here. Only my sister, Pam, was able to attend. I'd like to make that up to her."

"Are you pregnant?" Linda asked.

"No!" Sookie exclaimed. "I'm not pregnant."

"Well, I had to ask," Linda shrugged.

"It's that things are different here," Eric intervened. "I have known Sookie since she came to Ireland and after she left Breandan, I didn't want to wait, and, as it turned out, neither did she. I understand that in America, people in our situation choose to live together first, but in Ireland, we marry."

"There, you see?" Lars shushed his wife, "They did the right thing and now they want to do it again, with all of us."

"So, what were you thinking for this wedding?" Linda had started to frown. "Pastor Larsen…"

"Eric isn't Christian," Sookie interrupted. "I hope you won't mind, but we were thinking that a Justice of the Peace…"

"Carl Lundquist would do it," Lars spoke up again.

"You never talk about anything but the weather and farm reports, now you're Mr. Chatty Cathy!" Linda scolded her husband. She turned back to the camera, "He's right, though. Carl is our neighbor and he likes doing weddings. He stands in front of Town Hall every Valentine's Day in his snowmobile suit and marries folks for free. He'd do you right."

"You're very kind to arrange this," Eric said, using his most charming voice. "We are most grateful to you."

"It's the least I can do for Michele's daughter," Linda said somewhat stiffly, "even if Sookie couldn't be bothered to tell me until after the fact."

"Again, I'm sorry about that," Sookie apologized. "I won't say it was a snap decision, after all, Eric and I have known each other since…"

"All this time and you couldn't mention him?" Linda reminded her.

"I couldn't very well be with one man and talking about another," Sookie replied rather defensively.

"I had to have her as my wife," Eric added. "I couldn't see any other way around it." Of course, what Eric said was the literal truth, but Linda and Lars interpreted it differently.

"True love," Lars laughed. "See that, Linda? We're not the only ones!"

"Who says I love you?" Linda snapped, even though her eyes were laughing and she playfully punched her much larger husband.

Sookie confirmed when they'd be in Minnesota. Linda offered to pick them up from the airport, but Eric declined, telling her Aunt that the convention had drivers. Sookie knew the truth. She and Eric would be flying on an all-vampire airline. They would be staying in a vampire-safe house outside of the Twin Cities, rather than in the palace of the Minnesota vampire Queen. Sookie had a feeling she hadn't heard all the details, but she was sure Eric had called in favors to make it happen.

"You are pleased?" Eric asked Sookie once the session ended.

"Thank you," she replied. "I do appreciate it."

The plan was to stay in Minnesota for a week, and then, at Eric's suggestion, they would travel to Boston to visit with Sookie's friends, Amelia and Sean. "We can also wrap things up with your attorney," Eric suggested. "One year is too long for probate. I am sure that a personal visit will see an end to all the paperwork."

When Sookie asked when she should plan on returning to Ireland, Eric just shrugged. "Two weeks? Four? As long as we like. You may wish to see more places in America. There are cities I could show you. It is the advantage and the disadvantage to being a vampire. I have the freedom to travel, but not the freedom to linger too long."

"Why are you doing this?" Sookie asked. "You didn't have any plans to travel before. You have businesses here. You said yourself you chose to come to Ireland and remain. This can't be convenient for you."

"Pam tells me every woman deserves a honeymoon. This could be yours," Eric shrugged. Sookie didn't think Eric was being perfectly honest with her and she was certain he didn't fully understand the whole honeymoon concept, but the fact that he said he wanted to give her one touched someplace deep inside; the place starting to accept and anticipate forever with Eric Northman.

"What time will Pamela and Maryann be here?" Sookie asked.

"Half an hour," Eric said, glancing at the clock on the laptop.

"I'd better get things ready," and Sookie headed back down the kitchen. She was cooking a formal supper, the first since they'd taken up residence. Eric was sure the smells would linger for days. Sookie made small meals for herself, but nothing on this scale. Tonight, there was a whole chicken in the oven and two kinds of vegetables. There was also a cake Sookie told him was made from a recipe that had been passed down through her Mother's family.

Sookie was just pulling the chicken from the oven when their guests arrived. Maryann wrapped Sookie in a hug. "I miss you!" she said and Sookie could see she meant it. "We brought the rest of your things from the apartment. I can't believe I'm going to have to find someone else to help out next season."

"All you really need is a strong back and a coffee drinker," Sookie joked. She glanced over Maryann's shoulder to see Pam and Eric chatting. She could feel that the conversation was making Eric tense, and then he turned and stared at her, trying to make her feel guilty for eavesdropping.

"What is it?" Sookie asked Pam directly, ignoring Eric.

"You don't scare her at all," Pam laughed before sharing, "The Queen has granted Eric permission to travel. No worries!"

"Don't bullshit a bullshitter," Sookie huffed. "I can tell there's something else, because Eric isn't feeling all happiness and sunshine. What else did your Queen have to say?"

"Your Queen, too, Breather," Pam teased. "Well, she's still frosted that she allowed her temper to get the better of her. She wanted your husband's fine ass for her own, but now that can't happen, at least while you're living."

"Pam!" Eric growled.

Pam looked Eric's way, made a sound with her lips, and then turned back to Sookie. "You deserve to know. Sophie-Ann suggested Eric stay here and you travel to America on your own. She offered to have you killed, so Eric would be free." Eric growled again and they both turned to look at him. Staring hard at Eric, Pam said, "I told her it was a kind offer, but my Master's pleased with how things turned out and he has no intention of parting from his wife anytime soon. I suggested that Sophie-Ann was quite the jokester and we parted on amicable terms."

Sookie could see they were trying to make light of it, but she could feel the color draining from her face. Maryann stepped beside her and laid a hand on her arm. Looking at Eric, Sookie asked, "If she wants me dead, why doesn't she just kill me now?"

"Because you're bonded," Pam explained. "Sophie-Ann figures if you're half a world away, the pain Eric will feel when the bond breaks will be muted."

"I will speak with her," Eric growled again. "I won't have her threatening…"

"Problem solved!" Pam interrupted. "Sophie-Ann isn't going to do anything. It took some talking, but, in the end, we all laughed about it. Don't go poking another stick at that hornet's nest!"

"She should know better!" Eric threatened.

"She's a child!" Pam agreed.

"What's for dinner?" Maryann asked, changing the subject. They all got started, shuffling dishes to the dining room for the humans. Pam prepared fancy goblets of TruBlood for herself and Eric, and they were soon sitting, talking about the doings in Slievemore and the latest gossip revolving around Rogan.

"He's retreated almost completely," Pam confirmed. "He's taken a leave from his hotel and I'm told he's hunkered down in one of his forts."

"The new management at The Grand is all anyone is talking about in town. That Preston is a piece of work! The tourists seem to like him, but the locals aren't happy!" Maryann shared. "He's too flamboyant for a little town like Slievemore, as much as we cater to foreigners."

"I hope he falls on his designer wingtips," Sookie snarked. "He was a mean Queen while I was there and bad things should happen to bad people."

"So bloodthirsty, Miss Stackhouse," Eric laughed.

"I couldn't agree more, Mrs. Northman," Pam added, shooting a look at Eric.

As Pam and Maryann were leaving, Maryann turned to Sookie and asked, "When do you head to America?" 

"Next week," Sookie answered.

Maryann nodded, "And you're returning…"

"We haven't decided," Eric answered. He looped his arm around Sookie, much to Pam's delight. Frowning at Pam's hooting approval, he added, "It will depend on how things go. I want Sookie to enjoy this trip, so we will take as much time as she wishes."

"Well," Maryann looked at Sookie, "you call me when you get back. I'm assuming you're still interested in that B&B," and when Sookie confirmed it, Maryann continued, "Well, good. There's an association to which we owners belong and we meet about once a month. I'll bring you along to the next meeting. We're a chummy bunch and it couldn't hurt for the others to meet you."

"I'd love that!" Sookie agreed, stepping from Eric's side so she could hug Maryann. "It would feel like I'm finally getting started." Suddenly, Sookie felt a coolness run through her and, in the next instant, she realized it was coming from Eric. "What?" she asked.

"You'd better let her do it," Pam laughed. "I don't see how you can stop her, so you'd be smart not to try."

"Of course, I'll support Sookie in anything she really wants to do," Eric covered, but he swore to himself he'd find other things for Sookie to want. The idea of resting in a place where strangers were forever coming and going held no charm.

"Smart man!" Pam teased, but Eric was sure his child wasn't fooled.


	32. Chapter 31 - Greener Grass

**Chapter 31 – Greener Grass**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

The travel coffins were delivered the day before Sooke and Eric were scheduled to leave for Minnesota. The van that brought them arrived around eleven in the morning, just as Eric said they would. The driver rang the bell and Sookie signed for them, just as simply as if she'd signed for flowers or a registered letter. "Store them here," she told the handlers, opening the still-empty second garage bay, and watching while they wheeled them in, like it was business as usual.

Except it wasn't, not for Sookie.

Pam had told her vampires traveled in coffins. She told Sookie that these coffins only had the appearance of caskets and were very different on the inside. "No one questions coffins being transported," she'd shrugged. "It's the perfect camouflage."

Eric hadn't explained it at all; he just confirmed the arrangements and moved on to chat about their travel schedule. The wheeled trollies that allowed them to be more easily moved were part of the deal, so once the men finished lining them up against the far wall, Sookie was asked whether she wanted to inspect them.

"No," she shook her head. "I'm good." The driver shrugged, so Sookie was pretty sure she'd just done something wrong. The delivery team walked out of the garage and Sookie saw their van pulling away as the garage door lowered. The light stayed on and Sookie stood there, just looking.

They were big. One coffin was fancier than the other. They were both gunmetal grey, not wood, and there were handles around the sides, just like every coffin Sookie had ever seen. Sookie found her breath coming faster and her heartbeat pounding in her ears. ' _You're panicking_ ,' her voice told her. ' _Cut it out! They're only boxes!_ ' although they felt like so much more. They felt like every death and loss she'd endured over the past year. She had felt in each case she'd somehow survived, running fast enough to elude death, yet, now, Death was in her house. ' _You married it_ ,' her voice told her.

Sookie remembered each time Eric made light of the fact, teasing her that he was already dead. Staring at the coffins, those jokes didn't seem quite as funny anymore. Sookie checked her watch. She had hours until Eric rose. The sun was setting earlier now, so there were more hours together. "He isn't really dead," Sookie said aloud to steady herself. "Not really."

The light flicked off, the automatic timer expiring. Sookie took a deep breath and walked back into the house. She grabbed her purse and Eric's car keys. She had things that needed to be done in town, now that she was married and free to leave the house. She had to transfer her bank account, joining hers to Eric's as they'd agreed; however, first, she had to travel to the Registry Office in Listowel and file the marriage certificate Eric had given her.

Sookie looked at the car keys in her hand. Eric had grumbled quite a bit last night. It made her smile to remember. ' _Maybe some things aren't so different!_ ' she assured herself. Eric had a thing for his car and he didn't like anyone touching it, not even his wife.

' _Wife_ ,' she reminded herself. Sookie pulled the marriage certificate from its envelope, looking at it again. The wording was all in Gaelic, although she found her own name easily enough. Eric assured her that all she had to do was take the paper to the Registry Office in Listowel and get an official copy. It would be needed to change her bank account and other documents. Eric programmed the directions into his car's GPS and then had insisted that she drive him into town to prove her skills before he grudgingly handed over his keys.

"You're sure no one will question this?" she'd asked, looking at the certificate again.

"The Fae have been living here a long time," Eric assured her. "We know how to manage these things." He was making an effort not to make her feel stupid for asking, which, of course, made her feel stupid. "Would you like me to arrange the license for America, too?"

"No," Sookie declined. "I've already asked Aunt Linda and I'm sure she's started wedding arrangements. I think it will be good to do it once with my family." Sookie hadn't said what she was really thinking, ' _And then, at least, I'll really be married to you_.'

Now, as she stood in the kitchen, staring into their refrigerator, looking past bottles of synthetic blood, coffins stashed in their garage, all she could think was, ' _Life sure doesn't turn out the way you think it will_.'

Sookie glanced down at the floor and realized she was still wearing her shoes. It was a pet peeve of Eric's. He didn't like random dirt and smells tracked in from outside. "It makes it hard for me to determine whether outsiders have been in my house," he explained.

"Fuck it!" Sookie declared, deliberately stamping her feet a couple extra times. "I'm no outsider and I'm going to have people visit me here, whether it makes you uncomfortable or not, Eric Northman!"

Sookie fried two eggs and toasted her latest version of brown bread. She ate at the table, staring at the empty space and considered her options. _'I could totally convert my lifestyle to night_ ,' she thought, ' _and then I'd have company any time I ate_.' As things were, Sookie fell asleep sometime after midnight every night, leaving Eric with hours of alone time. He didn't say he minded, and Sookie had the impression he actually welcomed it. ' _Besides_ , _I'd never be able to give up the sun_ ,' she mentally acknowledged.

' _I could drive into town and eat there_ ,' she thought. As quickly as it came, she dismissed the idea. It reminded her too much of her unhappy days with Breandan when they were living at The Grand.

"Stop fretting!" Sookie said aloud, "You're not unhappy!" It was true. She liked being married to Eric Northman. He was playful and he made her laugh. They flirted and he made her feel desired, both for her body and her brain, and then she thought of the coffins in the garage again. "All couples have their problems," she reminded herself, but, somehow, his being vampire seemed a little bigger than different religions.

"It's settling pains," she scolded herself. "You know what he is! It's all just new. You'll get used to this, and it's Eric! He's worth it!"

Sookie finished eating and took her dishes to the kitchen sink. She checked the time. It was almost past noon, so both the bank and Registry offices would be closed for another half hour for lunch, but once they re-opened, it wouldn't be for long. Listowel was a distance, over an hour each way, and there could be traffic. Sookie knew that not washing the dishes would bother Eric, but, for some reason, it wasn't hard to make excuses. "You can accommodate my differences, too!" she peevishly snarled and then, grabbing her purse, she headed out the door.

It was overcast, but most days were now as Fall tightened its grip, sliding them toward Winter. Eric's car purred through the turns and almost seemed to take off on its own through the straight-aways. Sookie had a hard time translating kilometers to miles, but she was pretty sure she was speeding most of the way. She'd forgotten how wonderful driving a powerful car felt. She tuned the satellite radio until she found Irish tourist music and she turned it up, singing at the top of her lungs.

In almost no time, she was in Listowel while the snotty British voice coming from the GPS was scolding her about missed turns. Finally, after some unplanned wandering, she spotted the address and found a parking spot.

The woman behind the counter in the Registry Office greeted her friendly enough, but after she took the certificate from the envelope, her eyebrows drew together. Sookie felt her mouth go dry. She thought the woman would call her out as a fraud at any moment. Sookie shifted from foot to foot, her palms getting moist, before the woman looked at her and said, "I didn't know Niall Brigant was still performing weddings!"

Sookie jumped, she couldn't help it. "Are you all right?" the woman asked.

"I'm sorry!" Sookie stammered, "Of course. It's just… I didn't see his name on the paper." Sookie knew it was a stupid thing to say, but, instead of keeping her mouth shut, she couldn't seem to stop talking. "I was looking it over earlier, you see. I'm American, as I'm sure you can tell, and it was a long drive here. All this driving on the left side…not that there's anything wrong with it… It's exciting!" She finally stopped, took a breath, and said, "I'm just newly married and I've been living here less than a year. I guess that drive shook me up a little more than I thought."

"You Yanks marrying our Irish lads isn't so uncommon," the woman sniffed, "although your husband's name doesn't look Irish."

"He's a citizen," Sookie assured the woman, "although he did originally come from Sweden."

The woman looked around, making it clear she was looking for Eric. "But he didn't come himself?"

"No," Sookie bit her lip and shook her head.

The woman gave Sookie another long look before she sighed and said, "I expect he's working, your husband, then," and as she looked at the document, her eyebrows came together again, "And it says here you're an Irish citizen as well?"

"I am," Sookie nodded. "My Grandmother…"

"The American thing," the woman nodded. "There've been a number of you Yanks over the years, getting your dual-citizenship." The woman nodded, "It's a smart thing to do, as you'll be living here." She was starting to look more business-like. "I expect you'd like a copy of the executed document as well. That will be five Euro," and her hands were moving around, stamping things. "Of course, you can wait for it to be uploaded to the National Registry if you'd prefer, then you can print it for free."

"I'll take a stamped copy," Sookie confirmed, "For the bank."

"I take it you don't speak Gaelic, then?" the woman asked.

"Not a word," Sookie replied.

"Well, it's as I'd expect, coming from America. You should make an effort to learn it, though." The woman turned the document toward Sookie and pointed at a collection of letters and accent marks. "That says Niall Brigant and that's his signature," and she pointed to a large, perfect signature on the bottom of the page that was the same collection of letters and accents. "I don't see his name often. He must be very old now! Oh, as I was saying, Gaelic is a beautiful language. Some say it was taught us by the Little Folk themselves," and the woman was suddenly in better spirits, winking and smiling.

"It does sound lovely when I hear people speaking it," Sookie nodded. She could barely keep the relief from her face. She prayed the woman would just finish processing the papers and not question her any further.

When Sookie made her way back to the car, she couldn't help noticing her hands were shaking. It took some fumbling to get the GPS programmed for the route back home. Her heart had almost resumed its regular beat when she eased the vehicle back into traffic. "One done," she congratulated herself.

The route back seemed to take longer this time, but Sookie made it into the bank just ahead of closing.

The man at the bank squinted at her, examined the official wedding certificate, and actually held up her passport to compare her to the picture. "You'll need to be getting your other documents changed over, then?" he asked.

"Pardon me?" Sookie asked.

"Your name, Missus, and your address. I can update them here for your bank account, but you'll want to get your other documents, your passport and such, updated as well." His hands were moving from his keyboard to a stack of papers. He pushed a document toward Sookie and instructed her to sign first in one place, and then another. "Your husband," and the teller's brow wrinkled, "Would that be the same Eric Northman who owns Ghoul's Kiss in Carrack?"

"It is," Sookie nodded.

The man's eyes narrowed and, for a sick moment, Sookie thought this human would challenge her about marrying a vampire. "I thought he was gay," he said instead.

"Nope, he's not!" Sookie almost laughed with relief. "Definitely not gay! Nope!"

The teller winked, "Well, you'd know, Missus. Must say, it makes me like him a little better," and he continued to work away, making the changes that would merge Sookie's bank account with Eric's.

As she drove down the final stretch of road that led to their driveway, Sookie felt Eric's rising. It was a warm wave followed by a quick stab of irritation that made her grin. She could just see the house, but, with their bond, it was as though she was standing right beside him. Feeling Eric's steady, straightforward emotions, she thought about all her earlier doubts and wondered if he'd felt them even in his day slumber.

As she pulled into the open garage bay, she thought again about his being vampire. ' _What if he'd been in a wheelchair, or if he had some disability that forced you to change a colostomy bag or hook him up to a machine? Would you love him any less?_ "

Sookie sat in the car almost a full minute, her hands on the wheel. "I love him," finally saying aloud what her heart was telling her. She loved his smile and she loved the way his eyes warmed when he saw her. She loved that he hungered for her, always making sure she knew it was about who she was, not just what she was. She loved how he asked her about her day and really listened to what she said. She thought again about the dishes in the sink, how they bothered him. ' _I'll make it up to you_ ,' she resolved.

Sookie checked her appearance in the mirror, patting down her hair before she breezed through the utility room. She dropped her things in the kitchen and used their bond to track him down. Eric was in the area next to the family room. He'd moved one of the caskets in there and the lid was open. When Eric turned to her, his face was stormy, still, Sookie ran to him as though he was the best part of her day and threw her arms around him. "You're up! Are you hungry?" She looked up at him and tugging his shirt a little, said, "I sure hope so, because I've been hungry for you!"

"You have?" and stormy Eric became startled Eric.

Sookie cupped his cock and squeezed, "I have," she purred and in no time flat, Sookie realized that although as species they might have their differences, there were other areas where they were exactly the same.

Later, after she'd had her dinner and they'd laughed about her adventures, Eric said, "You need to know some things about how I travel." He rose and walked into the room where he'd taken the coffin. The track lighting was catching the soft grey of the metal, making it almost glow.

"Really?" Sookie sighed, but didn't follow him.

It took Eric a moment before he turned, "Sookie? What is it?"

"A coffin," she answered, then laughed a little, trying to make it a joke.

Eric's eyes narrowed, "No, there is a problem."

"It's not a problem!" she answered and made herself stand. She jutted her chin forward a little and took the steps needed to have her standing beside him.

"You are uncomfortable with this," Eric said, his eyes traveling from Sookie to the coffin.

"I'll get over it," Sookie declared.

"Did you ever think that perhaps your Christ was made into one of us, that becoming vampire is rising from the dead?" Sookie caught her breath. It was such an outrageous thing to say, but what was truly outrageous in this world where she now walked?

"Is He?" she gasped.

"No," and Eric grinned. "You should see your face!"

"Did you know him?" Sookie couldn't help asking.

"No," and Eric laughed again. "I'm old, but not that old. No, when I was born there had already been over a hundred Popes. The Muslims controlled Jerusalem and the four kingdoms of England offered ready plunder for my people. My Maker, though, he was a Centurion. He lived in the time of your Christ."

"I didn't know your Maker was still around… I mean, alive… I mean…" and Sookie fell silent.

Eric didn't laugh this time. Instead, he looked out the front window into the night, "He walks still, but I haven't seen him in many ages." He looked back at Sookie, "This distracts. You are growing tired and there are things you still need to know." He took her hand and walked her closer to the coffin. "There is a hidden switch, here," and Eric took Sookie's hand and ran it over an invisible bump under the lid of the exterior. "I don't normally wake during day hours, but, in times of great need, our bond will allow you to call me. If you need to open the lid for some reason, push this, and it will open. You don't need to open it to awaken me. Just use the bond."

"If sunlight hits you, will it kill you?" Sookie asked.

"Eventually," Eric nodded. "If the sunlight is very bright, it will make me burn. If the exposure is prolonged, I will die." Sookie nodded, her throat closing.

"I don't like to think of you lying in one of those, so vulnerable," she stammered.

"I am less vulnerable than you, Älskade!" Eric grinned. "Any little thing can endanger you! Cars, lightning, drowning, falling down stairs! None of those things can permanently injure me! No, my list of kryptonite is small, compared to yours!"

Sookie stared at the cushioned interior of the coffin. "Is it comfortable for you in there? Or do you not care?"

Eric glanced at her, and then, in an instant, he was in the coffin. He held out his hand for her, "Climb in and tell me yourself!"

"There's no room!" Sookie protested, then Eric rolled a little on his side and pulled until she joined him. He turned her so she was facing him. It was bigger than she thought. She couldn't quite lie on her back, but she wasn't totally on her side, either. The padding cushioned her surprisingly well. Sookie took a deep breath, steadying herself, before saying, "I guess it isn't so bad."

"There's a light and space for me to store a book or two. Of course, there's a port to charge my phone and earbuds," Eric told her. "I'm going to close the lid for a moment. I want you to appreciate how it feels. There's air in here and were we in danger, or need to travel in secret, going together this way would make that possible."

"I don't know, Eric," Sookie's heart started hammering as things became darker. "I don't know if I could stand being cooped up like this!"

"Look at me, Sookie!" Eric commanded. "Do you see the light I emanate?" and as he said it, she did. It was the soft phosphorescence of fireflies, but it was enough for her to make out Eric's features. She was reminded of being under the blankets of her bed as a child, flashlight in hand, reading into the night. She focused on that memory to keep her head from jumping to the less pleasant idea of being stuck in a box. "It is not optimal, but, if you can do this, it may mean the difference in your survival," Eric told her.

"You're really okay with using these?" Sookie whispered.

"I've had over a thousand years to get used to it," Eric told her. He shifted just a little, and the lid smoothly opened above them. "Tomorrow, when you rise, I'll be in here. The representatives from Anubis will arrive promptly at nine. They know what to do. I've asked them to have food on the flight for you. They are used to accommodating our human traveling companions, so you should be comfortable."

"Anubis? Like the Egyptian god?" Sookie asked as Eric lifted her from the coffin.

"It is also the name of the airline we use," and Eric smirked, "You may remember that Anubis takes the shape of a black dog."

"About that," Sookie frowned. "You do…what? Shape shift?"

"Among other things," and Eric nuzzled her ear. "Perhaps you've had some fantasy about coupling with animals?"

"Yuck!" and Sookie shoved him. "Not! No way!"

Eric laughed, his head thrown back. It was a joyous sound and Sookie couldn't help joining him. "Well, min hustru," and Eric ran his fingers over her breast, "Perhaps we can simply simulate wild animals."

"You sure do like sex!" Sookie grinned.

"And I can feel that you do, too!" Eric growled, wrapping Sookie in one arm and moving toward the staircase that led down to the chamber they shared.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

The alarm brought Sookie back. Eric had changed the tone again and it was cackling the Joker's trademark laugh. "Hilarious," Sookie deadpanned. She was naked and very sticky and she couldn't help her goofy grin. She turned to slap Eric, but his pillow was empty. "Upstairs," she said aloud.

The suitcases they'd packed were gone, too, and Sookie was sure Eric had carried them upstairs when he left her. She felt the butterflies she associated with facing new things. Using a lifetime of experiences in finding herself in new situations, Sookie took a couple deep breaths, then queued up the music app on her phone. She chose Irish acoustic music, but this morning it reminded her too much of her first trip overseas and Breandan Brigant. Flipping through channels, she decided on Led Zeppelin instead. Sookie didn't listen to hard rock often, but there was nothing better for distraction, and she made an effort to dance as she worked her way through her shower and dressing.

Sookie was finishing her second cup of coffee, singing, 'I'll see you on the dark side of the moon,' when the doorbell rang. She rose, the butterflies returning with a vengeance. The door opened to reveal a woman in a dark uniform. "Anubis," the woman announced. "Everything's ready?"

When Sookie nodded, the woman gestured behind her and three others appeared, all wearing the same grey uniform with the familiar dog head stitched above their names. "Show us Mr. Northman," the woman said, the same way she might have said, ' _Take me to your leader_.'

Sookie could tell the woman was human, and so were the men. They moved efficiently, two wheeling Eric while the third lifted their suitcases from the front hall. "I understand you're traveling with him?" the woman asked.

"To Minnesota," Sookie answered, then blushed, realizing it was a stupid thing to say. She could see their final destination clearly written on the woman's notepad.

"Long flight," the woman said automatically. She didn't wait for Sookie, or even make eye contact. She exited followed by the others. In fact, by the time Sookie finished grabbing her purse and locking the door, they were all in the van, which looked like a longer version of a contractor's van.

' _I'm_ _just another suitcase to these people_ ,' Sookie realized. She'd felt a little thrill, seeing other humans who knew the same things about Fae that she did. She even imagined swapping secrets on the way to the airport, but, instead, the trip was silent. Sookie was seated alone in a jump seat behind the first bench seat, facing Eric's coffin, which was secured with straps to the floor. As if to reinforce her impression, she saw the suitcases stacked exactly opposite her. ' _Yup_ ,' she mentally confirmed, ' _Nothing but supercargo to them._ '

There were no windows, so Sookie retreated to her headphones. She could see the road out the front window if she angled around the heads of the attendants. About twenty minutes into their trip, one of the men turned around, "Okay back there?"

"Yeah," Sookie nodded almost too quickly, then stopped bobble-heading, "Thanks. How long?"

"We're almost there," he told her. "Of course, we go around the airport to our hangar. Hope you didn't want to buy souvenirs!"

It was a kindness, so Sookie laughed at his joke. "Nope, my folks will be happy enough just to get me!"

"He's taking you home to your family?" and the man looked surprised. Sookie knew that the 'he' the man was talking about was Eric.

"'He' is my husband," Sookie felt her chin lift, "and yes, Eric is meeting my family. We're getting married by human custom while we're there." It was too much information, but the way these people were treating her was getting under Sookie's skin.

"The mighty Eric Northman!" the man's eyebrows lifted. He gave Sookie a frankly appraising look before saying, "We're about fifteen minutes out," and turning back around.

The people at the airport hangar were also efficient. Sookie stood beside the van, unsure what to do next. She watched as Eric's casket was raised into the back part of the plane and the suitcases carried up the short ladder in the front. Other than the logo on the tail, there was nothing to distinguish this plane from any number of other fancy, small, commercial planes. People who looked like flight crew walked out of an office and boarded, and then someone started pulling up the steps. "Wait!" the woman with the notepad called, then looked at Sookie. "You'd better get on! They're serious about their timetables."

Sookie felt her blush creep over her again, her armpits prickling in embarrassment. When she got on the plane, the man she'd seen pulling the stairs met her, "I'm so sorry! I assumed Mr. Northman…well, he never… I'm Raoul and I'll be your flight attendant." He motioned to the seats in the cabin, "You may sit anywhere, but I would ask that you fasten your seatbelt. We're cleared for takeoff and the pilots want to get underway." As if to punctuate Raoul's statement, the engines roared to life and Sookie heard sounds she assumed were blocks being removed from tires.

It all happened so quickly, Sookie had no time to get nervous. She was sitting down as the airplane started to move, and she'd just snapped her seatbelt when the plane seemed to leap forward, faster and faster, before lifting smoothly from the ground. "Wow!" Sookie exclaimed.

As they leveled out, Raoul returned from the back. "Is there something I can get you?" he offered. "I noticed the galley's been stocked. There are soft drinks, or are you hungry?"

"Eric travel often?" Sookie asked instead.

"The Sheriff is one of our more frequent customers," Raoul acknowledged.

Sookie could see questions forming, so she headed them off. "We are only recently married, pledged, I mean."

"So, the rumor is true!" and Raoul's stare became more pointed.

"What are they saying?" Sookie asked. When the attendant's eyebrows started to pull together, Sookie added, "Tell me what you've heard and I'll tell you know if it's true."

"It's not kind," the man shrugged.

"Well," Sookie sighed, "then I guess you'd better tell me."

"Are you going to vaporize me with your Fae magic?" Raoul asked. Sookie could see the man was only half-joking.

"What Fae magic?" Sookie huffed. "Sounds like every other rumor I've ever heard. Someone took a grain of truth and built a mountain of lies around it!"

"They say you're related to Niall Brigant, the Seelie King," and Raoul waited.

"That part's true, mostly," Sookie nodded. "I'm the part of his family they don't talk about," and she grinned, trying to place this man at ease.

Raoul looked a little more nervous as he shared the next part, "They also say the Sheriff made a secret pact with Niall and the Queen is angry with his deal-making. She punished him by forcing him to bond with you."

"You say 'bonding' like it's a bad thing," Sookie couldn't help the weakness she heard in her voice. "Is it?"

"No, of course it's not!" and Raoul stood. "I'm sure you're very happy with the Sheriff."

"I am," Sookie agreed, startled by the attendant's reaction.

"Let me get that drink for you," Raoul said, slipping his professional façade back in place.

It was a long flight and Raoul stayed in the back. He resisted Sookie's attempts at conversation, and Sookie got the message.

It took seven hours until they landed somewhere near New York. "We're just refueling," Raoul told her. "Won't take long." Sookie could see they were near another hangar like the one in Ireland. It started to rain, then Sookie found herself drifting. The last thing she remembered was the sight of water streaking down the windows.

It was how Eric found her. Raoul greeted him as he exited the cargo area, offering him his own blood, and then hastening to warm bottled blood after Eric declined. "Your companion is most charming," Raoul flattered.

"My mate is remarkable," Eric replied, making sure the attendant understood him.

Raoul bowed, told Eric there were another six hours left, and scuttled back to his seat. Eric eased himself into the seat next to Sookie. ' _It will be good_ _to be away from Ireland for a while,_ ' Eric thought.

Looking at her, Eric reflected on what he'd learned about the attack that had damaged Sookie in Slievemore. As she'd promised she would, Sophie-Ann LeClerq had made inquiries with her counterparts on the Continent. Andre assured Eric that the answers were quick and forthcoming. Based on what the Queen's fellow rulers volunteered, there was every reason to believe that Gregor and Kurt's target had been Eric.

Eric hadn't relied on that source alone. He made his own inquiries and his contacts, many of them friends for centuries, confirmed that Gregor and Kurt weren't subtle. They were overheard complaining that they'd been unfairly treated, loudly telling those around them Eric Northman would pay.

The part that kept worrying Eric was that his interactions with these two had been so many years ago. It was Eric who arrested and then gave the testimony that sent Kurt to prison, but Kurt had been free for some time. As for Gregor, he had found himself under Eric's knife more than once. True, the last round of torture had involved removing certain body parts, but that was almost ten years ago. Gregor regenerated. As vampire, it was understood that he would, but Eric knew the process of re-growing bone and muscle was both painful and long. " _If the attack was about revenge, why didn't they come for me sooner?"_ Eric asked himself.

In the next thought, he wondered, ' _Why a bi-metal knife?_ ' Almost reflexively, he gathered Sookie up, lifting her into his lap. She sighed when her head found his shoulder. ' _Yes_ ,' Eric thought, feeling that deep sense of contentment that came just from being in contact with her. " _This is best_.'

When he had her arranged comfortably, he leaned back so he could see out the window. Eric revisited the attack in his head, remembering the position of each vampire, what they'd said, where they'd moved. It made no sense. There was no reason to hold Sookie in the office. They hadn't tried to glamour her, which was almost a reflex for any vampire. If the knife was meant for him, they should have moved closer to Eric before having revealed it, shortening the strike zone.

When he voiced his suspicions, he was told he was being paranoid, but Eric couldn't shake his worry. He glanced at the woman in his lap. He'd felt better when Selkies were shadowing her. While she'd hated it, he hadn't worried while they were confined in Ballytyne, Octavia Fant's spell warding off any danger. Eric wondered whether he should ask Octavia to place a more personal spell on Sookie, but he dismissed the idea. He had no idea how Sookie's magic would interact with something that would have to be bound to her person.

He remembered how unsettled he felt, rising last night to find she hadn't returned to their home yet. There were scents in the house he didn't recognize and he rushed upstairs, certain he'd find signs of trouble. Instead, he'd found evidence that Sookie forgot her promises and it pissed him off, at least until she'd returned and, with one simple smile, made his life perfect again. Sookie sighed in her sleep, her lips tilting upward. A pleasant dream, then, and Eric found himself hoping it was about him.

' _So strange_ ,' he thought. ' _Since being turned, even before, I have refused to give in to sentimentality. I pride myself on my ability to be dispassionate and, yet, now, I am willing to set it all aside_.' He allowed his lips to brush the curls on the head of the woman he held. Sookie was an adult, but it was hard at times like these to see her as anything other than a weaker being who needed his protection. Her life was a mere blink compared to his own, so fragile. ' _And yet, My Lover, your impact on me is profound,_ ' he acknowledged.

Eric looked out the window again, watching the night sky pass. The clouds were far below, closer to the endless sea. Eric didn't need to see them. He'd seen them too many times before. Instead, he allowed himself to go into downtime, the better to experience this moment with her. After a while, he looked down and found her staring up at him. There was something in the way the cabin light caught her eyes, making them periwinkle blue. Eric knew that if his heart still beat, it would have stopped. "You captured me this way once before," he told her. "In the Queen's Court."

"You were the most handsome man I'd ever seen," Sookie told him in return. Eric wished they were alone. He wished he could show her exactly how much he desired her; how much he cherished her. "Are you hungry?" she asked instead.

"I can wait," he replied. She grinned, knowing what he intended, and he found he loved her even more. ' _Love_ ,' he thought and didn't make any excuses.

It was still several hours before the plane taxied to the hangar within eyesight of the Minneapolis-St. Paul terminals. There was a limo waiting on the tarmac and in less than an hour, they pulled into the driveway of a small ranch home set on a street of identical ranch homes. Sookie saw nothing to set it apart until she realized the plain-looking key set was more complicated than it appeared.

Eric and Sookie were shown the basement room. It was accessed by putting in a code on two sets of doors, but, once you got past them, the chamber was more than acceptable. There was a king-sized bed, a refrigerator, microwave, and a fully-functioning bathroom. "For the Queen's special guests," the driver bowed.

Eric's coffin arrived and was tucked into the garage. There was a car sitting in the second bay and the driver handed Eric the keys. "It's fully equipped. GPS, and the route to the Queen's Court is programmed. You are expected to present yourself there tomorrow."

Once they were alone, Eric retrieved their suitcases from the hall, leaving Sookie time to look around. There wasn't much, barely enough furniture to give the appearance that the place was inhabited. Sookie was in the kitchen, staring at the odd assortment of items in the refrigerator when Eric returned. He laid his hands on her shoulders. Nuzzling her ear, he asked, "Tired?"

"I think you can figure that out without asking," Sookie answered.

Eric could. He could feel the thread of excitement that animated her, while at the same time the dreary weariness from long travel. Eric understood. Since air travel became available, he'd spent countless hours jetting from one country to another, sometimes on assignment, but often on his own, keeping relationships with friends and business associates strong. Travel satisfied some part of him, perhaps the long-dead Viking who looked forward to Spring and raiding voyages. "We can rest, if you'd like," he offered, although that wasn't what he wished.

"You still need to eat," and Sookie turned in his arms, her face mischievous, and it took less than a blink for Eric to pick her up and whisk her downstairs.

Afterward, as he gathered her to him, she asked, "How is this going to work? I'll need to be up early. I don't know if there're pans upstairs to cook those eggs, but I'm willing to bet not."

"Ever practical!" Eric smiled. It was one of the highest compliments he could pay her. This woman thought ahead, planning as he would.

"Darn straight!" Sookie grinned. She squinted at Eric, "What I'm thinking is that I'll take the car and drive out to Aunt Linda's. She's already texted me, asking when I can get there. When it gets close to sunset, I'll come back and get you."

"You told me the drive will take over an hour," Eric scowled.

"That's not far in this part of the world," Sookie shrugged, trying to dismiss his concern.

"Take the car," Eric told her. "I'll arrange a second car." He touched her, enjoying how her skin felt under his fingers. "I would feel better knowing you are with your family. I don't like the idea of you driving back and forth by yourself." He couldn't explain it, but he felt that dangers were crowding around them.

"Good grief!" Sookie laughed, "You'd think I just got my license! I know how to drive, Eric. Really, it's no big deal."

"I will get a second car," he bit out, and Sookie realized the conversation was over.

"Fine!" she huffed. "Then spend the money, it's just…"

"It's late," Eric cut her off. "We could shower. It will help you sleep."

"We could shower," Sookie shook her head, "but I don't think you have sleep in mind."

Eric's lips quirked, "Are you offering?" Sookie didn't answer. Instead, she jumped off the bed and sprinted toward the bathroom. "I'm chasing!" Eric laughed and he exacted his reward when he caught her.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"I'm sorry about the air conditioning," Aunt Linda said for what had to be the tenth time. They were standing in Linda's bedroom in front of her dresser mirror, looking at the wedding dress Linda had pulled from one of the family cedar chests. It was September and days here in Minnesota were usually cooler, but today was the exception.

"I'm fine," Sookie insisted, but, secretly, she felt as if she were melting. She distracted herself from her prickling armpits by examining the dress. It was beautiful. It was a little old-fashioned and the soft neckline and bodice were edged with hand-crocheted lace. It had been the dress of a long-dead Great Aunt ('Ada was busty, like you,' Linda told her.), and the fabric felt like linen, or maybe an old-fashioned cotton. It was soft, yet substantial, to her fingers.

"Let's take it downstairs so you can try it on," Linda scooped the dress from Sookie's hands. "You can stand right in front of the fan and don't worry! The weathermen are promising this will move out tonight and we'll be back to our regular temperatures."

The dress did fit. It wasn't quite white, but it flowed over Sookie as if it had been made with her in mind. Sookie looked at her reflection, thinking the dress needed a necklace, and she thought about the chains she'd received from her Fae relatives, now safely locked up in Ireland. "Let's see if I have some pearls that would dress that up," Linda said from behind her, as if reading her mind.

"You look pretty." Sookie swirled to find Jason, her brother, standing in the doorway. He smiled awkwardly and Sookie smiled back.

They were still a little awkward around each other. Jason apologized, and then he'd cried. Mostly, he told her how guilty he felt not being able to say goodbye to their Mother. He never once asked Sookie how she was doing, or even about the man she was bringing here to marry. Instead, he'd told her how grateful he was to Aunt Linda for not forgetting him and how joining the Navy was the best thing he could have done.

"Thanks," Sookie nodded. "You done?" Jason and Uncle Lars were driving the farm truck back and forth to the local Church, borrowing tables and chairs for the wedding.

"Nah," and Jason glanced over his shoulder. "We have at least one more run. From what I hear, there's going to be over fifty people here. Did you ever think we had so many relatives?"

It made Sookie draw another deep breath. She was sure it would be okay. It had to be okay. She remembered how easily Eric fit in with humans in his pub. She had been able to tell there was something different about him right away, though she took comfort in knowing humans didn't seem to pick up the same signals as her. "Aunt Linda sure went out of her way," Sookie acknowledged.

Uncle Lars called Jason's name from outside and with a boyish smile, Jason left, banging the screen door behind him. Linda bustled back down the stairs, a single strand of pearls in her hand. She stepped behind Sookie, fastened it in place, and then pulled Sookie back, so she could see herself in the mirror over the fireplace. "There! And there are plenty of mums and coneflowers to make bouquets. Your Eric won't know what hit him!" She glanced again at the clock, "Now, what time did you say he'd be here?"

"Not until later," Sookie answered, and then gave the cover story she and Eric agreed to, "It's the first day of his convention. He has to stick around. He'll come out as soon as he can." Sookie could see her Aunt was not pleased by this, so she introduced a new one. "So, what else needs to get done?" It was exactly the right thing to ask. Aunt Linda had a list that never seemed to get any shorter.

Together, they cleaned the house. It looked clean to Sookie and Lars scolded Linda when he came inside following another trip to the Church, telling Sookie that Linda had just cleaned yesterday. "Top to bottom!" he said, giving Linda a sharp look. "She wanted things to shine for her niece and nephew."

Sookie could see that just because Linda cleaned yesterday, with more people coming, Linda had felt the need to do it again. They pulled out buckets and rags and started in the living room. Linda's daughter, Hadley, stopped by with extra tablecloths and silverware. When Sookie asked why didn't they just use plastic cutlery, Aunt Linda shot her a look that would have peeled paint. "Not in my house! Not for my own niece's wedding!" she exclaimed, then turning to Hadley, asked, "Remy is bringing the platforms out?"

"After he gets off work," Hadley nodded.

"Platforms?" Sookie asked.

"For the band," Hadley explained.

Thankfully, Hadley's arrival meant they could take a break for coffee and cookies. Linda kept a pot of coffee going in the kitchen all day. Sookie soon realized that with a wedding being planned and most people having never met 'Michele's children,' there was a constant stream of visitors. People, both neighbors and relatives, would walk into Linda's kitchen with some offering for the upcoming event and then sit down at the kitchen table, coffee cup in hand. Each time it happened, Linda and Sookie would take a break, too.

There were the neighbors who brought over an arch that Jason and Lars positioned outside near what would be the head table. There were more neighbors who came by with ladders and Christmas lights to string in the two large trees out front. There were neighbors who brought by electric urns to hold coffee and hot water and others who brought more dishes and extra generators. Many were related to Sookie and Jason in some way and they were all huggers. "I'm your second cousin, Vi…," or "I'm your cousin Dwayne's wife's sister…" and then there was a kiss and a story about her Mother. After a time, it occurred to Sookie that no one mentioned her Father.

"What about my Daddy? He lived around here, too, didn't he?" Sookie asked Linda as the two of them hand-washed cups in preparation for the next group of visitors.

"Oh, I don't know," Linda shook her head. "I'm not sure any of us really knew Corbett all that well. And he did take your Momma away." It was something Sookie was beginning to appreciate, the way her Aunt avoided saying anything unpleasant by simply pretending it didn't happen.

The sun started to set, so the lights in the trees were tested. "I can't say I understand what could be holding up your young man," Linda said. They were all standing in the front yard.

"Let it go!" Lars said. He laughed, but Sookie could hear her Aunt's irritation. She looked at Linda and wondered if, in time, she would be the one her Aunt pretended she didn't know. It occurred to Sookie that, despite her Aunt's welcome, there might be a price to be paid for being different.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"So, you pledged to her?" Maude laughed again. "Sophie-Ann must have been furious. I must say, I'm sorry I wasn't there to see it! I don't much like your Queen." Maude and Eric were sitting in her living room. "Of course, you did get the short end of the deal. Now, you're bonded to the creature. I understand the importance of keeping the peace between our races, but, I must say, Eric, I wouldn't have thought you'd give in to some Seelie! I'm sure you're getting something and don't deny it! I wouldn't believe you if you did."

"I wouldn't dream of disagreeing with you, Maude," Eric said graciously.

Maude was not a conventional vampire. Unlike most, she hadn't been turned when she was young. Most believed her Maker had a mother complex, an opinion largely supported when the two of them were seen together. Maude was older, organized, and had a rare delight with the world around her. It was a point on which she and Eric Northman found common ground.

"I was hoping you'd bring her with you," Maude scolded. "It is customary for mated pairs to both check in with their local ruler."

"I apologize for my oversight. My mate is with her human relatives. We won't stay long, as you can understand, and I wished her to have as much time with them as possible."

"You intend to turn her," Maude said it as a statement, but Eric recognized it for the question it was.

"She is Niall Brigant's progeny, even if he can't openly acknowledge her. Taking any action would require some…consideration." Maude looked at Eric through narrowed eyes. His statement implied many possibilities, and Eric could see the Queen was tempted to just ask his meaning, even if her pride wouldn't allow it.

"I'm sure Niall wouldn't require compensation," Maude said, deciding on an interpretation. "His people consider her vampire already, but perhaps it's worth more to keep her as she is," and Maude's eyes narrowed. "He is a dreamer after all…" and then Maude laughed. "But, of course! He's paying you! How foolish of me not to see it! Don't worry, Eric, your secret is safe with me."

Eric laughed, but he couldn't help feeling as if he was betraying Sookie. He knew it was best that others not understand the nature of their relationship. When he and Sookie were alone or with Pam, it was one thing, but to reveal too much to outsiders would place Sookie in danger. Gregor and Kurt were not the only vampires with a reason to seek revenge. It would be an easy thing to take Sookie, torture her… And Eric's mouth fell open. He felt as if bands of iron were squeezing his chest and, in that moment, he saw Maude's eyes narrow and realized she'd been watching him. ' _Shrewd_ ,' he thought.

"I'm sure it's irksome to have to spend so much time among these humans," Maude said lightly. "It is, as you say, a concession, nothing more." She glanced at the clock, reminding Eric that by the time he arrived, it would be late. "Of course, these humans do have their little feelings. You probably should be going, but, first, we should share a meal. I have the most amazing couple! There's something about the quality of their blood that's simply invigorating!"

Maude was staring at him, daring him to refuse. Eric knew he was caught. To keep his promise would give Maude a weapon; to accept meant he broke his promise to his mate. "I have given her my word," he told Maude.

"Well, Sheriff, if the relationship is so important to you…" and Maude let the words hang between them.

"I would be pleased to join you," Eric replied, damning the situation and damning his aching, dead heart, which wouldn't stop telling him how wrong he was.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

It was almost ten by the time Eric pulled down the long driveway. It ran between maple trees, leading straight as an arrow to the farmhouse. He had seen the cluster of trees for many miles, brightly lit against the night sky. He texted when he left the Queen's residence, and then voluntarily texted updates as he drove, keeping Sookie appraised of his progress. It seemed a small thing, hardly enough to offset the unfamiliar sense of guilt he felt.

Maude offered him her donor's body as well as her blood and the woman had been eager, but Eric declined, citing the time. It rankled. He'd broken his word to support the illusion that Sookie was nothing more than a business accommodation, but, in the end, Maude hadn't been fooled. ' _For nothing!'_ he growled at himself and there was more. It wasn't just that he was protecting Sookie. There was a part of him that couldn't accept he was bonded. It wasn't that he didn't like feeling Sookie. He did. In fact, if he was perfectly honest, he liked feeling Sookie a lot, even now, when she was irritated. It was that being bonded didn't fit with his idea of who he was. Eric Northman was free to roam, master of his destiny, but now, he wasn't. He might never be wholly free again. Not until Sookie died and just thinking that made him feel a sharp stab where his heart should have been beating.

As he pulled into the yard, he had to maneuver around a large, flatbed truck. There were several men climbing over it, pulling off what looked like stage pieces and other men carrying the platforms to the far side of the house. Eric pulled into the grass and climbed out of the car. Almost at once, he was confronted by the woman he recognized as Sookie's Aunt. He knew she had no way of knowing him. The last time he'd seen her, he had been in his other form, watching the apartment in Boston for Rogan.

"You must be Eric," she said. She wore a tense smile and she didn't offer her hand.

"I am sorry to be so late. I hadn't anticipated traffic," Eric lied.

"Traffic?" and the woman's eyebrow rose. "Well, you must be the only one who found any north of the Cities. Folks who made it here at a Christian hour all told me how remarkably quiet the ride was."

Eric could see the woman was bristling for a fight. He looked around for Sookie, but she was nowhere to be seen. Linda crossed her arms and her eyes narrowed, but just then, a tall blond man fast-stepped over. He wrapped Linda with one long arm and held out the other to shake hands, "You must be Eric. I'm Lars, Linda's husband. You look like a strapping fella; can you lend me a hand?"

It was smoothly done. In one movement, Linda was turned back toward the house and Lars was leading Eric toward the large barn on the other side of the yard. "I think I owe you," Eric acknowledged.

"I've been married to that woman a long time. I can see her winding up for a tongue-lashing a mile away. I figure if you are this late meeting your new relations, you have a good reason." Lars glanced at him and when Eric nodded, Lars smiled. "I figured. How are you with cows?"

"Cows?" and Eric found himself laughing. "I used to be very good with them, but it's been a long time."

"Mostly they're cattle these days. I raise them for the organic folks, but I still run some dairy cows, too." It had been a long time; over a thousand years, but the smells and sounds brought Eric back to his Father's farm. It was comforting, except for the way the cows all seemed to stop as one and turn suspicious eyes his way. Eric quickly looked at Lars, wondering if the tall farmer had noticed, but Lars seemed intent on measuring out grain. "Can you pull down a bale?" the farmer asked, gesturing toward a stack of hay bales in the corner.

Eric walked toward them, which meant he had to pass closer to the cows. They started to shy and Eric did what he'd always done when his family's cattle became restless; he sang. It was an old song about a cowherd who fell in love with a fair maiden and when Eric reached the chorus, Lars joined in, their voices barely a whisper as they serenaded the calming livestock. Once the cattle were fed, Lars said, "I heard Sookie say you were Swedish." He was speaking in that language and it was easier for Eric to answer the same way.

"I was born there," Eric acknowledged.

"A long time ago, I'm thinking," Lars said. Eric realized the farmer wasn't meeting his eyes.

"You know what I am?" Eric asked.

"Dreygur," Lars nodded, using the old Swedish word for vampire. "I figured it out. I figured out Sookie isn't what she appears neither, but you don't need to worry. I don't mind. Just don't tell Linda."

"How…?" Eric asked.

"My Mormor knew things," Lars nodded. "She told me plenty of stories about Sweden and the creatures who lived there. And then, there was Sookie's Daddy, Corbett. Corbett and I knew each other pretty well, so I knew there was something special about him. His Mother, too. My Mormor told me that Claire Stackhouse was a witch. Not a fancy witch, with big spells and curses, but a hedge witch. Corbett's Mama knew about herbs and nature, but she kept to herself. Corbett, though, he was another thing. He had a rare joy about him, like Sookie does now. A shine, I suppose you'd call it. Made the folks around here plenty nervous. Folks don't like anyone who makes them think too much, or maybe says something unexpected to spoil the potluck," and Lars laughed. "Do you suppose I can look at you without you cursing me?" he asked.

"You're safe," Eric nodded. When Lars met his eye, Eric asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Do?" and Lars shrugged, "Nothing! Sookie is blood. Michele was one of us, even if she did run away with the town black sheep. I'll fix it with Linda, don't you worry about that! I will do something for you, too. I'd imagine the problem is having somewhere close enough that's safe for you, yes?" and Lars rocked back on his heels.

"I have particular requirements," Eric answered.

Lars nodded, "I bought my parents out a while back. They moved to Florida, but I kept the house. It's fifteen minutes from here. Old farmhouse. Linda keeps asking when I'm going to rent it or sell it. I give her plenty of excuses. Truth is, I like to escape there from time to time. I love my Linda, but that woman can talk the ears off the cornstalks. It's a good house, solid. It has a real root cellar underneath, deep and dark, with a solid door. Plenty of room for a bed. No one goes there but me."

"I would be most grateful," Eric nodded. "I wish this to be a happy occasion for Sookie. The commute from the Cities is long."

"Good, then we'll make excuses. I can take you there tonight. I know you don't have your things, but Sookie looks like a sturdy woman. She can drive into the Cities tomorrow and collect your belongings."

"This is very kind of you," and Eric performed a bow.

Lars grinned again, "A happy Linda is best for all of us! You are doing me a favor! Come on, before she decides I'm a problem, too!" and Lars clapped Eric on the shoulder, leading him into the yard and toward the house where Sookie waited.


	33. Chapter 32 - The Treadle Step

**Chapter 32 – The Treadle Step**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"You're sure this is a good idea?" Sookie asked again.

"We'll know when we get there," Eric repeated his answer. Jason was staring at them from time to time, playing alpha male in the most ridiculous way. His handshake with Eric earlier had been a juvenile show of testosterone and it had taken great restraint for Eric not to simply crush Sookie's brother's hand to jelly. Linda was another story. She made no secret of her annoyance. Eric was tempted to glamour her, but Sookie seemed to sense his thoughts and headed him off.

It didn't help that Sookie was unhappy. Eric knew her unhappiness started before he arrived, he'd felt it, but now it seemed centered on him, making it difficult for him to keep a cheerful exterior. "And you're sure you don't need to feed?" Sookie whispered, her eyes narrowed. That caused another rather inconvenient stab of guilt, and Sookie's eyes narrowed further.

' _Fucking bond!_ ' Eric thought. "I'll explain when we're alone," he said aloud.

"It's late!" Lars was scolding his seething wife. "You're tired, they're tired. Linda! You've been at it all day! Let the young people go. They have an hour's drive ahead of them and they only arrived last night. Look at your niece! She's sleeping on her feet. You'll have Sookie all to yourself tomorrow and they'll both be here in plenty of time for dinner."

Sookie and Eric knew Linda had arranged an impromptu rehearsal dinner for the next night. " _You know, just relatives and neighbors, people who knew Michele and want to meet her children,"_ Linda told them. From the sounds of things, it would be pretty much everyone coming to the wedding and that meant tomorrow's rehearsal dinner would be a crowd.

Linda sniffed before giving a quick nod. She walked over and gathered Sookie into a hug. "Drive safe, Sweetie! It was just so good having you here all day! You sure you don't want to stay? I have that nice room upstairs…"

"Linda!" Lars scolded. "Stop making them feel bad!" He held out his hand to Eric, forcing the vampire to return the handshake. "Drive safe, Eric. You have the directions I gave you, Ja?"

"Programmed into the car already," Eric assured him. Linda was watching Eric, her mouth pursed. Eric couldn't help it, he broke into his most charming smile, "And thank you, Aunt Linda. I'm sorry again I was so late. I'll be here in plenty of time tomorrow. We appreciate everything you're doing for us." He pushed then, just a little, and his smile crept up as Linda's eyes started to glaze just a bit.

"Oh, it was nothing!" the older woman responded, her tone changing. "It was nice to meet you, too."

Sookie shot Eric a look and the vampire was sure he would hear about this later. Lars also noticed, and Eric felt sorry about the sudden suspicion that crossed the farmer's face. "Come, Sookie," and Eric wrapped his arm around her waist, anxious to be on their way.

As they started moving toward the cars, Sookie's brother called out, "Going without saying goodbye?" Jason detached himself from Remy and several other men, heading toward them.

"Sorry!" Eric could tell Sookie really was tired. The smile she turned on for her brother looked brittle. "Guess we're just tuckered out." It was an odd phrase for her to use and Eric thought she must have heard it here today. "I'll be back tomorrow and maybe we could spend a little time taking a walk, just the two of us."

"And how about you?" Jason challenged Eric. "You going to keep my sister waiting all night again?"

It was all the invitation Eric needed and he said out loud what he thought of the younger man, "A true man doesn't abandon his sister and Mother," Eric hissed. "A man defends his women and protects them."

"Stop it!" and Sookie slapped Eric's stomach. "Jason had his reasons for going when he did. You weren't there!" Sookie turned to her brother, "Eric has some old-fashioned ideas about things. Just know I'm happy and you should be happy for me." She stepped forward and rose on tip-toes to kiss Jason's cheek. "Tomorrow, okay?"

Both men looked sullen, and Eric hissed, "He did wrong by you," as he followed Sookie to her car.

"He knows that," Sookie answered. "He doesn't need you to point it out."

As agreed, Eric got in his car and took the lead, the voice of his GPS guiding him down dark roads across the flat landscape. Sookie's headlights followed, close, but not too close. Eric was tempted to accelerate, challenging her to race him, but he knew it would be a bad idea. She wasn't Pam. Her reflexes weren't sharp and she was fatigued, and so he kept his speed in check.

The house was as Lars described, a white, traditional farmhouse with a wrap-around porch sitting in the middle of a clump of trees. The keys Lars provided turned the deadbolts and they were inside. It didn't take long to find the basement. Eric looked at the windows in three of the four walls. "He said the root cellar would be perfect!" Eric grumbled.

"This isn't a root cellar," Sookie informed him. When Eric looked confused, she said, "Come on. It's probably outside."

Sookie walked toward the back of the house, "He probably meant their storm cellar. They get bad weather out here, so it'll be away from the house, someplace they can take shelter if there's a tornado." She flicked the lights until she found the switch that illuminated the back yard. "There!" and she pointed at a set of doors set at an angle in the yard a short distance away.

Together, they walked to the doors. There was a padlock, so Eric flipped the keys on the set Lars provided until he found the one that said 'Master.' It slid home and the lock flipped open. There was a light switch just inside and together, they walked down the stairs into the cool, underground room. There were bunkbed frames against one wall and shelving that was meant to hold food. It was roomy enough and reasonably clean. "It will do," Eric nodded.

"What happened earlier?" Sookie asked.

"When?" but Eric knew what she meant. When she didn't answer, Eric shrugged, "I had to visit Maude, the Queen here. It is required that I check in. She wanted to be social and one doesn't rush a Queen." Eric could see that Sookie wasn't buying it, but he found he simply didn't want to explain things. It was late, she was tired. Eric glanced at his watch. It was nearing midnight. "I'm assuming you will want to be back there for breakfast," he said as he brushed past her. "Do you suppose there's a mattress in the house I could use?"

He didn't wait for Sookie. He walked up the stairs and back into the house. He used his vampire speed to move to the upper level, anxious to be further from her. There were four bedrooms tucked under the eaves and two of them had twin beds. Eric tested the mattresses, choosing the one that was most comfortable. He lifted it, almost colliding with Sookie as he took it down the stairs.

"Are you going to talk to me?" she challenged.

"Why do you say that?" Eric fired back. He knew she was right, but taking the offense when challenged was instinct. "We are talking. We've been talking."

"Fine," Sookie sniffed. She stared at the single mattress in Eric's arms, "So, you're not thinking we'll be sleeping together."

That brought Eric up short. He felt badly enough about breaking his promise that he welcomed the exile of sleeping without her. It wasn't natural for him, this guilty feeling, and being punished by having to do without Sookie's warmth seemed appropriate. It hadn't occurred to him that she might feel it was punishing her, but he could feel it now in her emotions. "There would be no room for you," he pointed out. "The bed barely has room for me. As it is, my feet will be hanging over the end."

"Maybe we could rig something up in here…" and Sookie bit her lips.

"You are kind, my wife," Eric smiled. "It won't be necessary. You should be comfortable. There are two larger beds. The mattress in the back bedroom smells newer." He stared at her, willing her to speak or step aside, and she stepped. He could feel her disappointment, but it was no sharper than the disappointment he felt in himself. Holding the mattress steady, he extended his other hand to cup Sookie's face. "You are exhausted. I can feel it. Sleep, Älskade. Your Aunt will doubtless have you running, and I will see you early tomorrow night. We will greet all your relatives. I will let your Aunt order me around and in two night's time, we will have the human wedding that means so much to you."

"Linda wants me to sleep at her house tomorrow night," Sookie said quietly. "Tradition, and sleeping apart the night before and all that."

"Pam has described some of the rituals," Eric replied. "I am pleased that you are getting what you wish."

"What happened tonight?" Sookie asked again, and he could feel her anxiety.

"Nothing of consequence!" Eric protested. "Sookie, you are worrying for no good reason. You're tired. Things will seem different in the morning." He glanced past her, "Let me take the mattress to this root cellar and I will return. I can sit with you until you fall asleep. We could shower…" and Eric gave her a flirty smile, but, unlike other times, it didn't seem to cheer her.

Eric walked past Sookie, carrying the bulky mattress through the house. He manhandled it down the cellar stairs and into place. He took some minutes to test the latch to the cellar doors several times, satisfying himself that it would take a tractor to force them open once he'd secured them. He looked around before acknowledging he was purposely delaying his conversation with Sookie. He felt her sorrow and, to his shame, he considered not returning to the farmhouse at all.

She was on the front porch. When he walked around the corner of the house, he saw her swipe at her face and he smelled her tears. "What is it?"

She glanced away and he felt her steadying herself, "You cheated on me, didn't you?" she asked and her voice was small.

"Cheated?" He felt she'd caught him and as soon as he felt it, he saw her face drain. "Not with my body!" he protested. "I did what I had to. I couldn't allow Maude to see you as a target."

"So, you…what? Kissed her? Performed for her? I can tell how crappy you feel about what you did, you've been grinding over it all night, and when you look at me? You feel way worse! You don't think I can tell?" Another tear spilled over and onto Sookie's cheek, but Sookie didn't feel sad. She felt like a storm. The smell of her tear was almost irresistible and Eric's eyes lasered to it, watching its progress until Sookie wiped it away. His eyes snapped back to hers and he knew how he looked, his fangs peeking from under his lip.

"I broke my promise to you," Eric acknowledged.

"I knew it!" and Sookie drew in a deep breath. "I said it before. You people live by different rules. I can't… I won't marry someone who doesn't respect me enough…who doesn't care enough about me…"

"We are already married," Eric meant his words to help Sookie understand he was committed to her, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

"Not in any way I understand!" and Sookie stood, her hands clenched. "I won't do this! I won't stay with a man who can't keep it in his pants!"

"I didn't fuck her!" Eric protested. "I fed from her donor! I promised you I would only feed from you, but I couldn't find a way around accepting Maude's offer, not without making you a target." Eric stood as well and began pacing past her, "And, in the end, I gained nothing! Maude knew! I couldn't convince her you were just an accommodation I made to gain favor with the Seelie."

"Is that what I am to you?" Sookie demanded and the anger she felt washed over him.

Eric grabbed Sookie and pulled her against him. He took an unnecessary breath, bringing her scent inside him, wanting to feel her both against and inside. It healed some part of him, settling his inconvenient roil of feelings, "No! You are…you are…" and he held her closer until she stopped struggling. He searched for the right word. "Unexpected," he finally said.

She stood still, her hands resting at his waist. He could feel her disappointment, "I am not settled when I am with you," he found himself saying. "I find I wish to be with you, to have you think well of me. It is not how I thought this would be."

"I'm sorry you're disappointed," Sookie's voice was quiet and Eric felt something snap into place. He hadn't closed the bond, but the unsettled feeling coming from her was gone, replaced by resignation. "I guess Sophie-Ann was right after all. Must be good getting a favor from Niall, and I don't blame you. Everyone in Ireland seems to want a favor from someone." She pulled away, shrugging off his hands and then held him off when he reached for her again. "We'll just tell Linda and Lars that we changed our mind. You didn't want to do this anyway and we're married enough for the Fae, right? That's all that counts for you."

"Now you don't wish your human ceremony?" Eric asked. "But you said…"

Sookie sighed, "I've had plenty of people in my life who do what other people want from them, Eric. Breandan…"

"I am not Breandan!" Eric felt his own temper flare. "I will not have you compare me to him!"

"Really?" and angry Sookie was back. Her eyes snapped and she punctuated her words by poking him in the chest, "You weren't going to tell me what happened tonight until I dragged it out of you. 'Just tell Sookie what she needs to know,' isn't that right? At least with Breandan, I knew if I asked a direct question, he couldn't lie to me. You? You lie plenty!"

"We are bonded too tightly!" Eric hissed. It just slipped out and Eric wondered at his own sanity. He couldn't understand why he said it out loud and he could feel her reaction, her rage hitting him like a wall.

"Yeah, real inconvenient!" Sookie snarled. She shoved him, turned on her heel, and sailed through the front door, letting the screen slap behind her.

It was foolish, but Eric couldn't help himself. He felt his emotions slipping, his famous control in tatters. He followed her inside, his walk stiff, "Don't walk away from me!" he barked.

"Or what? You going to glamour me? Like you did my Aunt?" and when Eric's eyes widened, Sookie snapped, "Of course I saw that! You should be ashamed of yourself! For someone who thinks he's so smart, you sure fall back on your little bag of tricks when it comes to us poor humans. If you're so smart, why don't you try using your words for a change?"

It brought Eric up short. Sookie was right, pushing glamour at Linda had been the easy answer. "You are clever, my wife," he conceded, stepping back and bowing his head. Sookie looked surprised, and then wary. "You see through me," Eric persisted. "You aren't afraid of me," and when he said that, Sookie snorted. It made him smile. Lowering his eyes again, he reached for her hand and was pleased when she didn't pull it away.

"I feel things for you I don't remember feeling for anyone," he said to her fingers, stroking her skin with his thumb. "You slip past my defenses to the core of me." Saying these things wasn't who he was, but he spoke again, revealing his biggest secret, "You confuse me."

Sookie watched the vampire closely. She never thought of Eric as looking vulnerable. He was that badass who had people unconsciously stepping aside to accommodate, but he didn't look that way now. He looked a little lost, talking to their hands instead of to her. He was huge, but, for a moment, Sookie saw the boy he had been and her anger slipped away. "This is confusing for me, too," she conceded. "I think you're right, I'm tired. We should talk about this tomorrow."

"Will you postpone your ceremony?" Sookie could see it, she could feel it. Eric really was asking.

Sookie knew she believed Eric's story. While she still didn't understand the whole blood thing, he had promised, and she could feel his guilt. Frankly, that part didn't bother her so much. It was that he tried to hide it from her. Still, he was standing there, looking so hopeful, "I don't know," Sookie replied. "I'm tired and that's never a good time to make decisions. There are two more nights, and even though Linda's blown this into more than I wanted, we can still cancel it." Sookie smiled, "Tomorrow, okay?"

Turning, Sookie headed for the stairs. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"To bed, Eric," Sookie told him, not bothering to look back.

As Sookie pulled sheets from the closet, she realized she had no pajamas. She'd have to sleep in her underwear. She checked her phone, setting the alarm, and wishing she had her charger. She'd plugged in at Linda's house, but the battery was still low. Tomorrow, she'd make the drive back to the Cities, find the ranch house, pack their bags, and then drive back here, all so she could go back to Linda's farm for another busy day of rushed wedding planning. "Please remember to program the addresses into my car," she called out, "I have a long day ahead of me."

Eric didn't say anything, but she knew he was still downstairs, standing in the front hall. She realized she didn't need to see him. She could feel him, like a heat signature, and when he finally went outside, she felt that, too.

It took a long time to fall asleep. Sookie tossed and turned on the faded sheets, staring at the ceiling and then out the window. She wondered how cold it got here in winter. A full moon rose and then, after a time, disappeared as it followed its course, out of her line of vision.

Sookie found herself in a shadowy place. She was running, but her feet kept sinking into the ground. Someone was chasing her, but her eyes kept looking ahead. She knew there was someone up ahead and if she could get there, she would be safe. There was a light, but the person chasing her was close, and then closer, and she sat up with a start.

"Were you dreaming?" Eric asked.

"Oh my God!" Sookie cried out, scrabbling back on the bed before she realized she'd been sleeping and her nightmare awoke her to find Eric hovering. Gulping, making an effort to steady herself, Sookie looked away and then looked back toward Eric. He was perched. There was no other word to describe it. His feet were balanced on the footboard and he was hunched over, his arms wrapped around his knees. "What are you doing?" she finally managed to squeak out.

"I couldn't rest," he replied.

"So, you thought you'd…what? Come up here and stare at me?" Another time it would have been funny and Sookie might have laughed if her heart wasn't threatening to jump out of her chest.

"It makes me feel better to be near you," he explained. "I am happier here."

It was so simple, feeling and understanding Eric's emotions. She could feel his need and his pride, his confusion and his desire. "I guess you are," she sighed, knowing that she felt better being near him, too. "Come on, then," and Sookie opened her arms to him.

Eric rose, and as lightly as any bird, he flew to her. In another moment, she was wrapped up in his arms, positioned on her side, and feeling him all around her. It felt safe.

"You know I am yours," Eric whispered against her cheek.

"I guess I do," Sookie answered and twining her fingers with his, she closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

When Sookie woke, it was because the sunlight was falling across her face. That was one thing she'd noticed about Minnesota. It seemed brighter here, the light harsher than the light in Ireland. "Home," she said out loud, and then snorted, wondering when 'home' had become that place and not America. She rolled over, not that she expected to see Eric's face beside her on the pillow, but she was starting to think of him as home, too. Of course, he wasn't here, but there was a piece of paper. ' _I have programmed the directions in your car_ ,' the note read. ' _The numbers at the bottom are the codes for the doors. Don't try to pack everything, just enough for tonight. I will return there myself and retrieve the rest. Don't worry about the coffin. I will make arrangements for it_.'

Sookie wondered if Eric had written all of this sitting beside her last night, or if he'd done it before he came upstairs. She figured the latter. It was probably what really brought him to the end of her bed. She thought of how he'd turned her against him, spooning into her back. He had relaxed then, she couldn't pretend she didn't notice. "Guess in a way, you can't lie to me either," she said out loud.

Sookie read the numbers out loud, then turned the paper over. She hadn't expected to see anything on the back, but there was more writing and as she read the words, Sookie found her breath catching.

Eric's penmanship was sloppier and the sentences were at an angle. ' _I wish to marry you_ ,' he'd written, ' _in every way that matters to you. I wish you to want to be mine._ ' Sookie read the words again, and then ran her fingers over them. It wasn't a declaration of love. Sookie thought back on all their conversations. There had been times Eric almost seemed to say the words, but Sookie knew she would remember it when he did. No, he hadn't said he loved her, but, somehow, reading these words, it felt pretty close.

"Am I in love with you?" she asked, and then looked out the window at the bright day. There were times she was sure she was. Whenever Eric quoted poetry and while he locked eyes with her when they had sex, she was sure she loved him. When he asked about her day and when he flirted and laughed, she loved him then, too. But there were other times when things happened to remind her how little she knew about Eric Northman. "Maybe it's just infatuation. I love him, but I'm not in love with him." Sookie stared at the sunbeams that danced across the sheets. "Maybe it's like he says. Maybe vampires can't love and, if he can't, what I'm feeling will just burn itself out… Like Breandan." The temperature was cool in the room, so she told herself that's why she shivered.

"Better get up and get going, Sookie Stackhouse! There'll be plenty of time to worry about this on the ride to the Cities," she scolded, forcing her mind away from her troubles.

Sookie glanced down at her dirty t-shirt and sensible underwear. She'd have to put all the same clothes right back on after her shower this morning and she considered not showering at all, but, in the end, she figured skin out clean was better than dirty all over. Car keys were downstairs and she found herself shading her eyes as she walked across the yard toward the vehicles. As she pulled out, she caught a glimpse in the rearview mirror of the storm doors, rising at their angle above the grass in the backyard. "Sleep well, Sweetie" she said out loud, even though she knew there was no way he could hear her.

The ride was long. Roads in this part of the country ran straight until they met highway intersections, where the monotony was broken by a turn, and then, everything settled back into a straight road. Sookie saw almost no traffic. It was early, but she wasn't used to being so alone. In Boston, like other cities where she'd lived with her family, there was always someone else on the road and in Ireland, farmers rose early and took to the roads to reach their fields. Sookie saw lights on at the few farms she passed, but no cars. People here had the luxury of staying where they were.

After a few hours, Sookie saw a billboard for a chain restaurant, so she used the drive-thru. By the time she started her second cup of coffee, she was no longer alone on the road. Sookie could see residential streets on either side of her, instead of the endless fields and pastures, and the GPS started talking to her more often.

Sookie found the driveway of the house she almost remembered. Squinting at Eric's note, she punched in the numbers and, as the locks clicked open, Sookie turned the note over, staring once again at the other words he'd written, followed by the single 'E' he used to sign his name. She raised the paper to her lips, kissing it, imagining the words to be a part of him.

Even though Eric offered, Sookie packed all their belongings. She couldn't see returning here again. The suitcases were heavy and dragging them up from the basement chamber took a lot of strength. Once they were up the stairs, the wheels made getting them to the car easier, but Sookie still broke a sweat hefting and then shoving the bags into the trunk. "Jeez!" she swore, shaking out her arms, "What did we pack? Anvils?"

The drive home seemed faster. Before she knew it, Sookie was pulling back into the farmyard. The day was warming, just as Aunt Linda promised. Sookie looked at the trunk, then the three stairs up to the front porch. "Not getting done just standing here," she groused and, throwing her shoulders back, Sookie pulled at the first suitcase. She caught her finger on the handle and felt a fingernail giving way, "Shit!" Pulling her hand away, she flapped it until the sting stopped. She could feel sweat starting to gather between her shoulder blades and glancing at the storm cellar doors, she wondered how hot it would get and if Eric would notice. "Why am I worrying? He's underground," she assured herself.

Taking a deep breath, Sookie stepped forward, and then something occurred to her. First, she looked all around. There was the road, but it was far away. She was surrounded by fields of sorghum and corn, but no people, so, stretching her hand out, she focused on the first bag. She couldn't help it. She knew she looked ridiculous and it broke her concentration. "Focus!" she scolded and lowering her hand, she closed her eyes, curled her hands into fists, and visualized the suitcases on the front porch. She thought of them in all their specifics, the zippers, the wheels, and the pull handles. She imagined them resting beside the front door, their handles extended. She wasn't sure she felt anything, but she wasn't sure she didn't, and, after a long few minutes, she opened her eyes.

"Holy shit!" she breathed. The trunk was empty and the suitcases were on the porch, just as she'd imagined. Sookie looked around again, just in case. Claudine had told her that working magic here would be harder. She'd been wrong; it just felt different.

Sookie headed up the stairs and, grabbing the handles, pulled the bags inside. Glancing at her watch, she started pulling hers toward the stairs, but then stopped. "In for a penny, in for a pound," she whispered and leaving her eyes open this time, she imagined her bag upstairs. Looking at it was distracting, but, jutting her chin, Sookie focused. It was like the leprechaun. One minute the suitcase was there, but, in the next, it wasn't. Sookie let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding and when she felt as if she'd hyperventilate, she brought one hand up to cover her mouth. That's when she smelled it, the faint sweetness that was her magic. "Eric!" she gasped.

This time, Sookie did close her eyes. She thought of it as cleaning house; wiping out every scent of magic. The last thing she did was pull that cleansing over herself. Her hand was shaking as she took hold of the bannister. "Don't think about it," she told herself. "Tomorrow you'll have lots of time to figure it all out. Right now, you need to shower and change and get your ass over to Linda's before she sends out a search party," but as she climbed the stairs, a slow smile took over her face. "Wait till I tell Eric!"

As it was, morning was already half-gone by the time Sookie pulled into the yard. The lights in the trees were now being joined by mason jars and table tops were leaning against the fences. Sookie could see Uncle Lars heading out into the fields on his tractor, pulling a wagon full of people. "They're going to get haybales," Linda said, walking up behind her niece. "Good way to keep folks from stumbling into the food tables." Linda gave Sookie a quick look, "You look tired, Sweetie. Well, come on inside, I've got coffee and Grace from down the road dropped off her sour cream coffee cake."

Linda elbowed Sookie and after they got into the kitchen, she followed it with, "Guess it's a good thing you're staying here tonight. At least you'll get some sleep!"

Sookie accepted the coffee cup thrust at her. "I'm not sure what you mean," she stuttered, sitting in the chair Linda steered her toward.

"Oh, Lars told me he gave you kids the keys to his parents' old place," Linda winked. "Figure you both worked off your mad out there." Linda waved as she plunked a huge triangle of crumbly cake down on the table, "I know, I know, I wasn't very hospitable, but it was a long day yesterday and I was feeling fractious. I'll make it up to your Honey, I promise!"

Sookie realized her Aunt had interpreted her exhaustion differently, so she opened her mouth to set her straight, and then shut it just as quickly. "What can I do to help?" she asked instead.

There weren't as many chores today, so when Lars and his crew returned from the field, Sookie went outside to help them. Jason had been with her Uncle and when she walked over, he jumped down from the wagon. "Sorry about yesterday," he apologized.

"Nothing to be sorry about," Sookie replied, but Jason wasn't having it.

"Sure, there is," he persisted. "I was an ass. Your fiancé is right. I should have stuck with you." He looked up and Sookie could see tears in his eyes. "I never would have left if I knew Mom was sick. I swear!"

"I know that," Sookie assured him. "Mom and I both knew you had to do what you did. She never blamed you."

"Really?" and her big brother looked so sad. "Well, I blame me! I don't know how I'll ever make it up to you."

"Really, Jason," and Sookie grabbed her brother into a hug. "There's nothing to forgive. She had a couple hard days, but she went peaceful. I think she was anxious to see Daddy. She was kind of talking to him in the end and it went fast, really fast."

It was hard to think about and Sookie wiped away tears of her own. She remembered that last Thanksgiving. Her Mother had seemed so well, talking about her going to Ireland and teasing Breandan. Within weeks, it was over. "She talked about you, too. She loved you."

Jason nodded, then turned away. Sookie knew he was trying not to weep. "Come on," and she took Jason's arm. "Let's take a walk. I'll tell you all about it."

In the end, they mostly cried. They talked about places they'd lived and some of their more memorable moves. "I was jealous of you," Jason told her. "I knew you were Daddy's favorite. He'd take you on walks, just the two of you. I hoped he'd do the same for me, but he didn't… Not the way he did with you."

Sookie stared at her brother. Those walks Jason remembered were the times their Father taught Sookie how to use her magic. She thought of how it felt to be able to do things and she reached out and really felt her brother. He was unnaturally handsome. He had an almost-glow about him, but there was nothing Fae anywhere in his being. Jason was truly non-magical and Sookie realized that being magic was something she wouldn't want to give up.

"Well, you were Mom's favorite!" Sookie shot back.

"Daddy was Mom's favorite," Jason pointed out and Sookie had no argument. They both knew it was true.

"I figure I can make it up by being family to Linda and Lars," Jason shrugged. "They're here and Linda told me that having me around lets her know that some part of Mom is still here."

"I think that's nice," Sookie nodded.

"You're not coming back from Ireland, are you?" and Jason watched her.

"No. No, I'm not." Sookie knew she couldn't explain Eric, or their real grandfather. She thought about Niall's dismissal of Jason and she wondered what Jason would make of Niall and Claudine and the Fae. Jason was stubbing his toe, dislodging clumps of dirt, and she knew all too well how poorly Jason would take the news. Even if he did believe her, Jason Stackhouse wouldn't be comfortable knowing there was more family where he would never belong and Sookie couldn't do that to him. "I'm glad you found Aunt Linda and Uncle Lars, though," and she squeezed Jason's arm. "I guess I'm the one that's walking away this time."

"But you came back here to get married," Jason reminded her. "You found your way back, like me," and he gave her that cock-eyed smile she hadn't seen in a long time. She knew there were people who wouldn't forgive him, but Sookie wasn't one of those. There'd been plenty of days she'd wanted to walk, and now, in most ways, she had. "I figure the Navy's going to be my home for a while," Jason was grinning, "but when I'm done seeing the world, I figure this is as good a place as any to come." He gave Sookie a side-eye glance, "Uncle Lars says Hadley and her husband don't want this place. You know… I think I could see myself as a farmer."

"I think you'll be great at whatever you do," Sookie smiled.

"Now, you sound like Mom," They laughed, and then they didn't, both of them caught in memory.

The sun was barely over the horizon when Eric pulled into the yard. Jason was up a ladder, helping to light candles in mason jars and he jumped down to intercept Eric, holding out his hand. "Hey, Bro!" he smiled. Sookie held her breath, but Eric didn't hesitate, he returned the shake and then Sookie felt his call. It was low level, but it was definitely there. It wasn't easy, but she held her ground, beaming as he roll-walked toward her, eyes narrowed, pirate smile in place. In spite of the people around them, Eric grabbed her up to him. He waited until she met his eyes, waited for that moment she started wondering what he was up to, and then he kissed her. It was a good one, too. People cheered and he lifted her, twirling her around before he set her back on the earth.

"You're hungry," Sookie whispered against his chest.

"In many ways," he chuckled back. He captured her hand before telling her, "I don't like waking alone. You've spoiled me."

"So useful, having a Sookie nearby," she teased. Eric was looking around and Sookie squeezed their joined hands, "Come on!"

She pulled him into the house and took him upstairs. The only door with a lock was the bathroom, "We probably won't get much time," she told him. "There's a small bathroom downstairs, but there's a lot of people here."

It wasn't a large room. The old tub had been replaced with a more modern plastic enclosure. Aunt Linda had set out good guest towels and Sookie hoped they wouldn't leave any evidence. Eric turned her toward the vanity mirror and his fingers were against her bare thigh. "I don't think we'll have time for that," Sookie squeaked.

"There is always time for 'that,'" Eric growled. He pulled her underwear until it fell down her legs. "I want you to watch me," he whispered against her neck. "I want you to see what you do to me." His fingers were stroking her, "I can already smell you," he whispered. "There is nothing that smells the way you do." He lifted his fingers to his mouth and capturing her eyes in the mirror, he sucked on them. "I love the taste of you," he purred. He licked her neck, his fingers returning to their work. When her breath caught, Sookie heard the sound of Eric's zipper. He stepped back, pulling her with him. "Lean over. Hold onto the sink," he instructed.

"Are you kids in there?" Aunt Linda followed her words with a quick rapping on the door. "Sookie?"

Sookie jumped away from Eric, "Just a minute!" she called out.

"Well, whatever you're up to, cut it out! Your guests are here!" and they could hear Linda's feet walking away.

"You look so guilty!" Eric teased.

"You don't look guilty enough!" and Sookie turned around, slapping his chest. "Stop playing with your dinner and get down to it or you'll go hungry!"

Eric was quick, but he still pulled her against him so she could feel how hard he was. "We need to find a way to slip away, maybe the barn."

"You looked pretty comfortable with Uncle Lars yesterday," Sookie said after. As usual, there were no marks, no sign of what had happened.

"My Father had a farm," Eric told her. "I learned how to raise cattle and goats."

"I thought Vikings only learned how to raid," Sookie took one last look, making sure everything was set to rights.

"We only raided in summer. During winter, we needed to do other things to make sure our families prospered." He said it, and then he looked away. There was something pulling at him, but Sookie couldn't tell what it was. She thought of what it must have been like for Eric, how free, and she remembered his saying how little he enjoyed politics and the responsibilities that came with them.

"Guess I can understand how it would feel good to be reminded of those days," Sookie smiled. She opened the door and walked out, so she didn't see Eric's eyes watching her.

"Here they are!" Linda announced as they walked down the stairs, and Sookie and Eric found themselves passed from group to group, introduced, and expected to make polite conversation. Most of the people they met were related in some way, so many had stories to share about Sookie's Mom.

One group of older men made a remark in another language and Eric readily responded. They laughed and Eric peeled off with them, heading toward the beer wagon outside. Sookie wondered how Eric would manage. She knew he couldn't really eat or drink anything, so she started to worry, but then, he looked at her and smiled, sending her his easy confidence and a clear feeling that he was getting away with something. 'Sure, he gets out of holding babies and making small talk!' she realized.

Dinner was set up outside on long tables. The floodlights were on, bathing the whole yard. It was a working yard, large enough to turn trucks and tractors pulling wagons. The ground was beaten hard by generations of farming. People here seemed easy with each other and Sookie was pleased to see Jason looking comfortable, standing with him. There were a couple groups of teenage girls and they were spending time either looking at Jason or looking at Eric, talking and giggling behind raised hands.

There was a group of older women, too, women in their twenties. They were flirting with some of the local men and soon enough, two had broken off to introduce themselves to Jason.

It occurred to Sookie that everyone here knew their place. Wives spoke with wives. Younger women deferred to older women and shared baby holding, shuttling things back and forth from the kitchen to the yard. The men gathered around the beer wagon or the trestle table. Children who were too old for holding, but too young to take care of themselves clutched their father's pants legs. It was an easy gathering and just as Sookie finished meeting the last couple, Lars climbed up on the platform Sookie knew was for the band and called out to Linda. He pulled her up beside him, "We are all happy you came tonight to help us celebrate. Most of you knew Michele and Corbett and it's always hard when your neighbors are taken so young, but this is a happy day! Sookie, their daughter, has found herself a decent Swede, and they're getting married right here tomorrow night."

"Sookie? Eric?" Linda called, and she waved until they made their way to the bandstand.

"You are all invited," Lars called out and people cheered.

"Where's Jason?" Linda asked and she shaded her eyes, looking across the yard. Sookie watched Jason come toward them and after he took his place on the little stage, Linda said, "And this is Michele's boy, Jason! He's a regular Navy man, but it's looking like when his stint is over, he's coming here to join our community!" and people cheered again.

Sookie couldn't help beaming at her brother. He looked so happy. "You are content?" Eric asked. He pulled her back, wrapping his arms around her.

She didn't answer. Instead, she placed her hands over his arms and enjoyed the moment. The band stepped up behind them and they all moved down, giving way.

The first song was a waltz, and Eric took Sookie's hand and pulled her toward him. As he led to the ground in front of the band, people parted for them. He placed his hand at her waist, and then kissed her hand before extending it, bringing her close to him. Sookie knew Eric could dance. They'd hopped and twirled in his pub in Ireland, but the elegance of his movements took her by surprise. She felt as if she'd stepped into another era and she wished she was wearing a longer skirt, just to feel it swish around her.

After a few turns, others joined them. Lars sailed by with Linda in his arms and Sookie realized that people here knew how to waltz. It was followed by a polka and after that, a traditional line dance that reminded Sookie of Ireland.

Sookie found herself dancing with Lars, and then Jason. One by one, she was passed hand to hand, until her feet hurt and her cheeks ached from smiling. She could see Eric dancing as well, women lining up to take their turn. At one point, one of the single, pretty women tapped his shoulder, but an older woman cut her off, loudly demanding the attentions of 'Mister Tall, Blond, and Strapping.'

Sookie was just bowing to her next partner when she felt faint. It wasn't a surprise. She'd been busy for hours and hadn't really had anything to eat. In an instant, Eric's arms were around her. He walked her to a chair and brought back an artfully arranged plate of food and then a glass of water. "You must eat, Älskade." Linda and Jason came over, offering to sit with Sookie, but Eric waved them away. He wouldn't leave until she felt better.

That night, as Eric drove away, Sookie stood on the porch. It was late. Eric told them he had to finish the conference in the morning and joked at what a poor showing he'd make, tired as he was. He kissed Sookie and she could feel his reluctance to leave her. "Tomorrow," he'd whispered.

"That Eric of yours, he loves you pretty well," Uncle Lars said from behind her.

"Does he?" It slipped out. Sookie was tired and she thought about the show Eric made when he arrived. He had been happy to see her, but he'd also been hungry. He'd wanted to slip away a half-dozen times over the course of the evening and she knew he wanted sex.

Lars stepped around so he could look at her. "He does," he said. "He is Swedish, so perhaps you expect him to talk too much, but he tells you how he feels. That's a big thing for men like us."

"How does he do that?" Sookie asked. She'd listened, waiting for Eric to tell her he loved her. There were times she was almost sure he had, but she knew he'd never actually said the words.

"Älskade," Lars said.

"Yes, I know he thinks I'm trouble," Sookie grinned.

"Is that what he told you?" and Uncle Lars laughed. "That's not what it means, Sookie," and her uncle dropped a heavy arm across her shoulder.

"Then, what does it mean?" and Sookie found herself holding her breath.

"Beloved," her Uncle answered and Sookie felt her heart click into place.


	34. Chapter 33 - Night Dawns

**Chapter 33 – Night Dawns**

Scratch, scratch.

Sookie shook her head and shifted, then buried her nose deeper in her pillow.

Tap, tap, tap.

And Sookie rolled over. There, in the window, where there shouldn't be a face, there was, and it brought Sookie upright. "Eric?"

"Come out and fly with me!" he called through the window. The moon was bright and its light caught the vampire's bright hair.

Sookie got out of bed. She tried to tiptoe, but stubbed her toe and swore under her breath. In spite of the glass between them, Eric heard and he chuckled. "Shut up!" Sookie hissed, staring at the wall that separated her from her Uncle and Aunt's room. "What time is it?"

"Night time!" her mate crowed.

Sookie pushed up the window, "Really, Eric! If you wake everyone there's going to be some explaining to do!"

"I'll just glamour them," Eric shrugged. "It's beautiful tonight. Come on!" and he held out his arms.

"What? You expect me to just climb out the window?" It was a pretty big window, but Sookie still wasn't sure how she'd shimmy her way out without losing any dignity. "Besides, you're not supposed to be seeing me right now. Seeing me before the wedding is supposed to be bad luck."

"It doesn't count," Eric told her. "We're already married."

"Pledged," Sookie reminded him. "It's different."

"Not to me," and Eric floated back a bit. "If you're worried about showing your charms, meet me downstairs."

"This is a stupid idea!" Sookie protested, but she grabbed the bathrobe her Aunt lent her and headed out the bedroom door anyway.

Eric was on the front porch, waiting for her. "Really, Eric. It's two in the morning! What are you doing here?"

"Seeing you," and he smiled. It was that warm smile, the one Sookie now knew she could believe. What she was feeling from him wasn't diluted with anything else. It was what he truly felt, and she walked straight to him and kissed him. She could tell he was surprised, but his recovery was quick.

Eric's arms snaked around her. He pulled her against him and he lifted her, just a little. His lips moved over hers, and then his head slanted, giving him better access. It felt glorious. They nipped and tasted, exploring until Sookie was heavy-eyed and breathless. When he pulled back, she could see the question forming, but she tugged on his shirt, "Well, what do you say, Sailor? Going to take this lady for a ride?"

He grinned, his joy reflecting her own. Sookie didn't realize her feet had left the porch until she glanced down to see fields slipping beneath them. "Look," he told her, and he turned so she was lying flat against him, staring up into the sky.

"It's beautiful," Sookie sighed.

"You are," Eric answered.

"Älskade," she whispered, and then lifted his hand to kiss his palm. He stilled beneath her and she could feel his disquiet. "Don't worry," she whispered. "Your secret is safe with me."

After a moment, Eric said, "Perhaps we should make a habit of this marrying thing. There are many cultures, many religions. We could try them all out."

"Why? Because you're curious?" Sookie asked.

"No, my wife," and he squeezed her against him, "Because it makes you so agreeable. You would look lovely in a red sari. I would come to you riding a white horse," and Eric launched into a whole list of potential venues and traditions.

Sookie only listened with half an ear. It was as if she was floating on the ocean, gliding over the dark landscape, lying against him. She could see the dark shapes of trees, and sometimes the farmhouse that huddled beneath them. There was a breeze and the drying corn and heavy leaves rustled as they passed.

It seemed so right. Sookie slipped her masque, allowing her true face to see the stars. At first, Sookie thought Eric hadn't noticed, but he slowed, and then brought them both upright, turning her. "You are so beautiful," he whispered. He lowered his head, kissing her, and Sookie imagined them surrounded by fireflies. He lifted his head and she saw it was so, only they weren't fireflies. Instead, they were surrounded by hundreds, thousands of blinking sparkles of soft light. "Why did you do that?" Eric asked.

"It's how I feel when I'm with you," Sookie told him honestly. "Like fireworks and wonderful things."

Eric lowered them to the ground and he stepped back from her. "You make me feel things I shouldn't," and she felt his wariness.

"You don't need to hide from me," Sookie assured him, and then, to her embarrassment, she yawned. She tried to stifle it, but the effort only made it worse, transforming into a whole face yawn, and she knew she was blushing.

It had almost felt like a moment when confessions might happen, but now, Eric was laughing. "You are a creature of the day, my wife. Come, I'll ferry you back."

"You're sure you don't want to explore some more?" and Sookie laid her hand against his chest, fighting her exhaustion.

"I would have another wedding night," and Eric laid his hand over hers. "I would have you claim me as you did for our pledging."

"What?" and Sookie screwed her face up. "Surrounded by whips and chains?"

"Well," Eric chuckled, "Maybe not the chains," and he gathered her up, lifting them both into the air.

"Tonight won't be nearly so exotic," Sookie grinned. "We get a double bed in an old farmhouse, and you get to steal away before dawn. I know the springs squeak."

"I hope they do," Eric assured her. "It will keep what I'm doing to you clear in your mind. There's a headboard this time. That has possibilities."

"For a couple that's about to launch into serial weddings, we kind of suck at picking venues," Sookie laughed

Eric suddenly shifted to serious, "I think I owe you a honeymoon."

"Why do you think that?" Sookie couldn't help laughing, he looked so solemn.

"Pam told me," Eric informed her. "Pam knows about these things. She told me every woman expects a honeymoon. Perhaps you would like to visit my home in Barbados."

Sookie's eyebrows lifted, "Barbados? You have a home there?"

"And Sweden," he nodded, looking away from her, lost in thought.

"Eric?" and Sookie tugged at his shirt until he looked down at her. "Why would a vampire who can't stand in the sun have a home on a Caribbean island?"

"I like the ocean," Eric shrugged. "The sands are so white, they shine under the moon and the water's filled with colors." He threw his shoulders back, a move Sookie associated with his getting ready to say something provocative. "You would also shine under the moon." Sookie almost said something, but Eric cut her off to say, "You would shine anywhere." He wasn't looking at her, but the way he said it made Sookie's heart feel two times bigger.

Eric landed her on her Aunt and Uncle's front porch. Somewhere, an owl hooted. "Until tomorrow," and he bowed a little, lifting her hand to his lips and then, he launched himself into the night sky.

Sookie turned and caught her reflection in the front door glass. With a start, she pulled her human face back into place. "Living the fairy tale," she told the Sookie she knew best.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Linda had tucked a rust-colored mum into Eric's buttonhole, saying, "There! Now you look the proper groom." Sookie didn't know a lot about Swedish-American weddings, but they didn't seem so different.

Jason was behaving, although he hadn't earlier when he learned he wouldn't be escorting Sookie down an aisle. "I figured that would be my job." He seemed poised to blame Eric, but Lars came to the rescue.

"We don't believe in women being property, so the idea of giving one away is wrong," Lars explained. "We do believe in giving toasts and drinking, though, and as Sookie's brother, you are expected to set the example." Sookie was told there would be games and dancing as well, but, for now, all she could see was Eric.

Of course, this ceremony was different from their pledging. Instead of standing before a throne in a room crowded with vampires, they gathered in Linda's front parlor. Sookie was wearing the antique wedding dress and Linda had placed a crown of mums and asters on her head. Eric was standing across from her, so handsome in his black suit. Instead of an assembly of people, there was only family around them; Linda, Lars, and Jason, as well as Carl Lundquist, the neighbor who was performing the ceremony.

All the relatives and guests were waiting outside, filling the barnyard, waiting for them to be announced. "The ceremony is a private thing," Linda explained. "Afterwards, we celebrate."

When Linda asked Sookie whether she would have a different, or maybe an additional wedding band for this ceremony, Sookie realized that although she might not say it, particularly when she was angry, she did consider herself married to Eric. The ring he gave her for her pledging was the only ring she could consider, so when Aunt Linda asked, Sookie just held up her hand.

When the time came, Eric removed it. "That is my place," he insisted, preventing her from pulling off the ring herself. "I will be the only one to take this from you, Sookie, and I will be the only one to place it where it belongs." He eased it past her knuckle, his large hands surprisingly gentle. Sookie watched as he held it in the palm of his hand, and then he picked it up, lifting it to his lips and he kissed it, as he had the knife that pledged them. Her pink gold band was now resting on Carl Lundquist's open notebook, waiting to return to where it belonged.

Aunt Linda asked Sookie earlier in the day whether there would be a ring for Eric, "That could be the new ring for this wedding," she'd said in her practical way.

Sookie shook her head, "No, I don't think so." There was something about Eric's physicality that didn't suggest a ring. Sookie wasn't sure, but she didn't feel it suited him.

"Too dangerous for a working man," Lars agreed, holding up his own bare hand. "It can get caught on too many things." Now, Sookie wondered if she should have asked Eric instead of making the decision, not that there would have been any time to get a ring if he'd said yes.

Eric was watching the Justice of the Peace and Sookie remembered how he'd reacted when she walked down the stairs. He stared at her and she thought she would be overwhelmed with his emotions. It made her breath catch. "The flowers," he said quietly as he took her hand.

Sookie knew there was something else going on with him, and it was making it hard to focus on the familiar words Carl Lundquist was saying. Sookie could feel Eric's unsettled state and with the way his emotions were bombarding her, she was starting to worry.

"Do you?" Carl asked again, and Sookie realized it was her cue.

"I do," she answered. She lifted her chin and focused on sending Eric her certainty. She wanted him to feel how full her heart was and she watched his eyes widen, and then calm. It seemed improbable. She couldn't imagine Eric feeling nervous about anything, particularly some human ceremony, but the way he returned to calm made her wonder.

"As a sworn Justice of the Peace for the great State of Minnesota, I pronounce you husband and wife," Carl announced and slapped his notebook closed.

"Well," Linda laughed, "Aren't you going to kiss her?" Eric held out his hand, but Sookie was having none of it. She stepped forward, grabbed his lapels, and pulled him to her, kissing him as she had in the park that night in Ireland. When his arms didn't immediately come around her, Sookie slanted her head, deepening her kiss, demanding his response and he did, until Jason cleared his throat and Lars laughed out loud.

"I guess you're married, then!" Linda announced.

"Let's get the paperwork finished," and Carl gestured toward the table in the dining room. Everyone signed, and then Linda insisted that Sookie and Eric also sign their names in the family Bible, taking their places in the genealogy. Sookie noticed Jason had already added his name, the blank next to him ready for a wife's name someday.

Lars poured them all small glasses of some clear liquid. "Skol!" he announced and they all drank. Sookie worried about Eric, but he appeared to have drained his glass as well.

"Let me get him!" Linda said and scurried toward the front door. Sookie assumed they would just walk through the back of the house and out into the yard where their guests were waiting, but now she saw there was another plan.

Everyone was shaking hands as Linda walked back into the dining room followed by one of Remy's friends. He was holding a fiddle, "Ready?" he asked.

"Let's go!" Lars answered, and the fiddler started to play.

"Brudmarch," Eric said beside her.

"What?" Sookie asked.

"Bride's March," Eric repeated. He wasn't looking at her and his rat's nest of emotions were back.

"What's wrong?" Sookie asked. Her Aunt shot them a worried look and Sookie pasted her best smile in place, "Can you give Eric and me a minute?"

"It's nothing, Älskade," Eric assured her and the bond snapped to placid. "I was being foolish." He lifted her hand to his lips, "You are very beautiful. You remind me of another time and I am wondering that I should find such happiness twice in my life." When Sookie still looked skeptical, he added, "I think now that my destiny meant me to find you." Eric's eyes were shining and Sookie's heart melted.

"All right, then," as she allowed him to turn her. At Eric's signal, the fiddler walked forward, leading them out the front door, around the trees, and ending in the farmyard where they were greeted with cheers.

Tonight, there was a formal table where everyone had a chair. It was set in a great U shape on the floor of the barn. Lars signaled to Jason, who picked up a plastic cup filled with wine. "To my sister, Sookie and her new husband, Eric! May they have many years of happiness together!" He turned toward Sookie and Eric and raising his glass, said, "To Mr. and Mrs. Northman!"

"Kiss her! Kiss her!" The cheer was taken up and Sookie didn't hesitate. She turned, grabbed, and kissed, much to everyone's delight. There were hands to shake and conversation to be made. Eric seemed perfectly comfortable, laughing and switching from English to Swedish to other languages.

"Get your plates!" Linda called. Women Sookie had met over the past few days were manning the long buffet table set against one wall laden with food. There were trays of chicken and dishes made with ground beef. It wasn't fancy, but everything had been made by someone here and it was all good.

Sookie found herself glancing at Eric as they sat. There was a plate of food in front of him. He did a credible job of appearing to eat, cutting items, and then laying down his fork and knife to answer another question or tell a funny story. More shots of the clear liquid they'd had inside showed up and Sookie found a line of them were placed in front of her plate. "Aquavit," Eric said,

"What?" Sookie asked.

"Aquavit," he repeated. "It's tradition. There will be many toasts. They will expect us to drink, but it is very strong. You don't need to take more than a sip, or just touch it to your lips. If you aren't careful, you will be very drunk, and then very sick."

At the end of the table, a man stood and started to sing. It was a song most of them knew and people around the table joined in. At the end, Lars saluted the man by yelling, "Skol!" People cheered and they all lifted their little glasses. Sookie and Eric did the same, and as soon as everyone sipped, a woman stood up and started singing.

"Holy crap!" Sookie whispered to Eric, "What proof is this?"

"It fueled the Vikings!" he laughed and, putting his arm around her, pulled her close, leaning back in his chair.

It was noticed and the cheer, "Kiss her! Kiss her!" was taken up again.

By the time dinner was finished, Sookie did feel more than a little light-headed. She stood up to help carry food back in the house, but Linda shooed her away. "Not on your wedding night!" she scolded. Sookie looked around to see Eric walking outside with Jason and as soon as she turned, she found herself looking at Uncle Lars.

"Ah ha!" he said. "Your bridegroom has abandoned you so soon?" and he leaned over and kissed her cheek. He stepped back and there was a line of male guests, each of whom stepped forward, teasing and then leaning over to kiss a cheek.

Everyone was laughing, and Sookie looked at her Aunt who called out, "It's not too late to change your mind!" Sookie figured out this was one of the games she'd been warned about and Eric must have been familiar with it because he rushed back into the barn, inserted himself between Sookie and line of men, and play-defended her, 'chasing' them off. "Mine!" he announced, and then gathered her into his arms and kissed her fully on the lips. "You are happy?" he asked.

"You can feel it, can't you?" she answered.

Sookie found that the game worked both ways. She went into the house to use the bathroom, only to find one of her ancient cousins manning the bathroom door, demanding money to use it. "For your dowry," the woman explained, showing Sookie the jar full of cash. When Sookie got back to the barn she found Eric backed against the wall, a line of women before him, each taking turns kissing his cheek. Sookie grabbed one of the serving spoons and raced over, brandishing the utensil like a sword.

"Thank you!" and Eric clowned it up. "My Valkyrie has saved me!"

"You better believe it!" she told him and Sookie felt her heart reach out for this man. He was strong and strange, but Eric had a sense of humor and he made her laugh. "Mine!" she said, tapping him with her spoon.

Eric closed his hand around the spoon, using it to pull her close. His smile dropped and as his face got close, he echoed, "Mine!" There was nothing Sookie wanted so much as to go home right then, but the band started, and Sookie realized there were hours to go before they would be alone together.

Remy's band played many of the same dances Sookie heard last night and they all danced. They danced as couples and as groups. The night was warm and their feet stirred up clouds of dust as they stamped and shuffled around the barnyard under the Christmas lights.

Finally, Linda approached them and said, "If you want to escape, this is probably a good time to do it." Lars had Eric's car keys and Sookie couldn't help noticing the looks her Uncle was exchanging with Jason. It seemed inevitable that they would find the car covered in toilet paper, clattering as they drove down the road, the hubcaps filled with stones.

"Don't think your Queen is going to like this," Sookie laughed, gesturing at the frosting writing on the windows.

"She is not my Queen," Eric shrugged. "Our Queen is in Ireland and it's probably the least inconvenience. This is much easier to clean up than…" and Eric hesitated.

"Than?" and Sookie's eyes went wide. "Oh!"

After a minute, Eric said, "This will probably be a first, though. I have never heard of a Sheriff marrying in this way."

He'd meant it to be light, but Sookie wasn't fooled. "Does this put a target on your back?" she asked, taking the flower crown from her head and holding it up so he knew what she meant.

"I never have a target on my back," Eric scoffed. "Where did you hear something like that?"

"Pam," Sookie answered, looking right at him. "I wanted to back out of all of this. I told Pam I'd changed my mind, but she told me that if I did, it would get out and other vampires would think you were weak enough to attack. I got the impression that doing human things makes you look like a target." His smile didn't waver, but she could feel his irritation. He opened his mouth, but Sookie shook her head, "Don't lie to me! I can tell you're going to say something to make it sound okay, but unless you can tell me that I'm wrong, just don't say it!"

He almost did say something and Sookie's heart started to sink, sure he was going to try to be glib, but then he didn't. "Pam shouldn't have been so blunt," he said instead. He turned to watch the road. "There are truths about vampires, things it took me many years to learn. You will learn those things, too, but right now, there's only one thing that's important," and he held out his hand. He waited until Sookie placed hers in his before saying, "I choose this. I want this. I am…" and Sookie thought he would say it, but instead he said, "I am happy with you."

"Well, okay then," Sookie answered, surprised at the sudden tears in her eyes. "Wow!" she exclaimed, and opened the window before leaning against Eric's shoulder. "I think I'm a little drunk!"

"You should be!" Eric chuckled. "I counted your glasses, even if you didn't."

"Drunk sex can be fun sex," Sookie offered and Eric laughed out loud.

He leered, "Yes, drunk sex is fun. Fewer inhibitions," and he waggled his eyebrows.

"I'm not thinking inhibited is one of our issues," Sookie snorted.

"Take off your dress," Eric challenged.

"We're driving at night on a deserted road," Sookie shrugged, 'so no big deal, but I have a row of buttons up the back it took my Aunt Linda a good ten minutes to fasten. I'm going to need help." She waited until Eric looked away before asking, "What was going on back there? You know, when we were inside doing the ceremony?"

"What?" Eric asked, and then "Nothing," but Sookie felt a quick stab of discomfort before he managed to turn it off.

"Your nothings are big things," she quoted his words back to him. "Come on, I could tell something was bothering you. You might as well spill it because we aren't having any kind of sex until you do!"

Eric snorted, "We both know that is an idle threat. You need sex as much as I do. I feel it."

"'Need' is a strong word," Sookie huffed, "but, yeah, you're right. But I'm clever. You've said it yourself, and you know I can come up with something inventive," and then she laid her hand on Eric's arm. "Seriously. I want to know."

His mouth twitched and he accelerated just a bit before saying, "I told you I was married in my human life. Aude. But Aude died. It was before I returned from raiding. Childbirth. The children, Aude's children, were with my Mother. I needed to remarry before the next season, but it was different this time. I was a man with means. I had a home and a farm to offer."

"So, you went wife-shopping?" Sookie asked.

"No," and Eric didn't look at her. "I knew." Now he did glance her way, his smile crooked. "She lived with her family in the town over the mountains. I had seen her at gatherings, markets. Golden hair, blue eyes. She had a cutting tongue and when she laughed, her face lit up, like a light from within."

"What happened?" Sookie asked. "Did you marry her?"

"It was arranged. I traveled there and she agreed. We exchanged torques," and he held up his arm, "Bracers, or bracelets, you would call them. The date was set and I was on fire for her." Sookie swallowed. Eric's words had taken on an accent and his eyes were far away. "Her family hosted the feast. The next day she would stand before me, flowers over her long hair, and she would return to my bed, my wife." He grinned again, but he wasn't feeling happy. "So, I walked home alone that night. I didn't want to walk with my family. I was drunk and I wanted to dream of her under the stars." He laughed, "Foolish!"

Sookie waited. They pulled into the driveway of the house and Eric turned the car off. "Well?" Sookie asked.

"It was the night I met Appius Livius Ocella," Eric shrugged.

"I don't understand." Sookie could feel Eric shutting the window to his emotions again. "What does that mean?"

"It was the night I started my journey to becoming vampire." He got out of the car, vamping around to open her door and hand her out. "It was the night I met my destiny." He looked Sookie over, his eyes sweeping from top to toe. She held the flower crown in her hands and Eric took it and placed it back on her head. "Tonight, I have had my wedding," he grinned. "There were moments in the past that I wondered, even regretted, but now, that memory is complete."

"It sounds terrible," Sookie told him.

"No," and he shook his head. "I was made for this life. It was hard in the beginning, but I have seen things few people have. I have walked the ages, and I will walk still when all around me are dust." He said it with pride, but the loneliness was back.

"You aren't alone now," Sookie told him and she took his hand, lifting it to cup her breast. "Just one favor, though."

"You are my bride, I will give you whatever you ask," he said, but his eyes were glued to where his hand was squeezing.

"Careful with the dress. It's an antique and I don't think Aunt Linda would be too pleased if it ends up in rags!" and Sookie took a quick step backward, turning around to present him with the row of impossibly small, covered buttons.

"Skit!" Eric growled.

"What?" Sookie asked.

"Shit!" he translated, but his fingers were already at work.

"Want to go inside?" she giggled.

"No," Eric growled some more. "This much work deserves a reward, and I intend to take you spread over the hood of the car."

"Oh!" and Sookie couldn't deny how the thought made her breath catch. "Sunny side up or…" 

"Both!" Eric declared before lifting the dress and gently pulling it from her. He placed it in the backseat of the car and then circled back, staring at his wife as she stood in her underwear and heels. "I would see you in something a little different," he drawled as he pulled her close, running fingers over the front of her sensible panties. "Lace. Black, or blue. Perhaps crotchless. And for these," and he brought his hands up to pull her breasts from their bra cups, "a setting worthy of them."

"You and your demands!" Sookie scoffed.

"You and your stubborn ways," Eric countered.

Their tongues fenced in the most appealing way and things were progressing well until Eric spun Sookie and she laid her arms across the hood. "Ouch!" and she jumped back.

"What is it?" Eric laid his hand on the hood.

"You don't feel that?' Sookie gasped. "It's burning!"

Eric shrugged. "I can tell it's hot. I don't know your sensitivity to temperature yet." He glanced back at the car "Now, I do. I won't forget." He pulled her toward him and examined the soft skin of her arms. "Does it still hurt?"

"No," Sookie shook her head. "I pulled away in time."

"Perhaps something a little more inhibited?" he chuckled, and he pulled her toward the door of the house. They were mounting the steps when Eric reared back. "Get behind me!" he ordered. He went on full alert, sniffing and crouching low. Stepping forward, he pushed the front door open, and then straightened up.

"What is it?" Sookie asked. She walked up behind him to see a trail of flower petals on the floor. They led to the stairs. There was a note taped to the bannister.

' _I know this isn't your first wedding night, but this one should be special, too. No one will disturb you tomorrow, so take your time. There's food in the fridge. ~ Aunt Linda'_

The flowers led them up the stairs and into the main bedroom. The bed was made up and there were flowers and candles waiting to be lit. "That was really nice of her," Sookie sighed.

"These humans are kind," Eric nodded.

"These humans?" Sookie asked. "They are family and now they're your family, too, Eric."

"But they aren't…" Eric started to say.

"What? Not vampire? Neither am I! What are you saying?" and Sookie's chin jutted and her hands fisted on her hips.

"Nothing!" Eric laughed, and then he became more thoughtful. "I didn't think it through, but I suppose you're right. As the family of my bonded, they are now my family and fall under my protection."

"Don't go all gooey on me!" Sookie teased, and started pulling at Eric's jacket. "So, what do you say, Mr. Northman? Ready to demand those marital rights?"

"I'm thinking you are the one who wants to do the demanding tonight," he replied and stepped back. "Perhaps you would like to tell me how I may please you?" His eyes were hooded and Sookie couldn't help grinning.

"Well," and she rocked back on her heels, "You could start by unwrapping."

"Like this?" and Eric smoldered. His head was back, his mouth arrogant as he unbuttoned his shirt. He folded back one sleeve, and then the other. He pulled his shirt tails free, allowing them to hang while he unbuckled his belt. His lips curved up as Sookie's eyes followed his fingers working at snaps and zipper. His erection pressed against the fabric, and when the zipper parted, Sookie saw hair. He'd gone commando and Sookie unconsciously wet her lips.

"Are you tired?" Eric asked, his voice low and seductive.

"No," Sookie stammered, "Why would you think that?"

"You're panting," and Sookie realized her breathing had sped up.

"It doesn't matter how often I get to see it," she told him, "I still can't believe that I get to have you."

"I'm yours," he told her, and let his pants slip past his hips. He'd toed from his shoes and he stepped from his clothes, one hand stroking himself. "Perhaps you would like to watch," and he picked up a chair that sat in the corner. "Here," and he positioned the chair at the foot of the bed, "Where you can see things best."

Sookie walked to the chair, wondering what new game they were playing. "Take your underwear off," Eric instructed. He was leaning over the bed and as she sat down, he moved toward the center, and that's when it happened. The bed squeaked. Eric stilled and Sookie couldn't help it. She giggled.

Eric looked at her, his form so graceful. When he was sure she was watching again, her hand starting to move toward her own center, he started to lay down, and the bed protested again. It sounded like a combination of cats and chalkboard and Sookie couldn't help it. She laughed!

"I'm so sorry!" she told the visibly irritated Eric. "It's just so silly! I mean, you're looking all sexy, and I'm feeling hot, and then, there's this bed. I keep waiting for the Monty Python people to come barging in."

"This is impossible!" he grumbled. He stood up and faster than Sookie could follow with her eyes, he was out of the room. There was a loud sound from the other room and then downstairs and Sookie realized Eric had left the house.

"What the hell!" she exclaimed. There was a sound from outside and the next thing she knew, Eric was back and she was over his shoulder, heading down the stairs. "What's going on?" she asked his perfect ass.

He was saying things, but in another language. She did catch 'humans' a couple times and what sounded like swearing, and then she was in the cellar with him. He'd pulled the bunkbeds out and left them in the yard, and leaving two twin mattresses on the floor.

"Really?" Sookie asked.

"I am not interested in being interrupted again," he told her. "I intend to fall to my day death inside you, Sookie. I want you screaming my name to be the last thing I remember," and his kiss told her he meant what he said.

Fun Eric was gone and a greedy, demanding Eric who Sookie hadn't met before was in charge. This Eric was moving fast and when he pinched her nipple hard enough to cause pain, she pulled back and slugged him, "What the hell!"

He reared back and she could feel his regret and then she felt something else. "Oh, you're hungry!"

"I apologize," he stammered as he moved away from her. "It has been a stressful few days."

"You didn't get more than a mouthful yesterday and nothing so far today," and Sookie opened her arms. "Come on, I insisted on being the only one to give you blood. You'll feel a whole lot better after you get something to eat."

"I am capable of existing for many days without feeding," and Eric's eyes narrowed. "I am over a thousand years old…"

"But why should you if you don't have to?" Sookie interrupted. "I can feel you, Eric. Your fangs are itching."

Eric was not happy. "It's possible it's the bond. I am hungrier than I should be. I…" and looking away he confessed, "I want to claim you, Sookie. I want to pin you to the bed with my fangs and take you."

Sookie swallowed. She didn't worry about being with Eric often, but the way he was looking at her reminded her of what Claudine called vampires, the sharks of the Fae. Sookie felt every bit of Eric's internal struggle. Her voice was whispering that she should run, but Sookie's rational side knew running would only trigger Eric's instincts more, and it might not end well.

"I don't want you to be frightened of me." He'd read her and Sookie cursed the bond.

"I'm not frightened," she lied. "You're my husband, Eric, and I know you wouldn't hurt me." She lifted her chin and moved next to him, laying one hand against his cheek and the other against his chest. When he didn't move, she leaned in, laying her cheek against him. "There! Like you said, we feel better when we're touching." Eric remained stiff and Sookie was having a tough time pushing her nervousness back in its box, but she kissed his skin anyway, saying, "Come on, Sweetie. Take your dinner and you'll feel more like yourself."

"You trust me?" Sookie knew that Eric was really asking whether he trusted himself, but she didn't hesitate.

"Of course!" She exhaled, pasting a bright smile on her face and stretching her neck to the side. "See? It's okay. I know you'll take care of me."

He was troubled. His fingers stroked her neck. As his head lowered, she couldn't help it. She stiffened. "I promise," he whispered, and Sookie knew.

"I don't doubt you," and she ran her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer, "I trust you."

He made it wonderful. Sookie wasn't sure how he did it, but Eric had the ability to make feeding sensual. Her breasts ached for his touch and she felt herself moistening, and then she realized he was using the bond. "Yes!" she sighed and she was on her back, his fingers parting her, replaced by his blunt head. She was cumming almost before he was seated, "Cheater!" she chuckled.

Eric detached. He laughed and she could see her blood on his mouth. It shouldn't have looked sexy, but it did. "Are you complaining?" and he pushed into her again, stretching her in the most wonderful way.

It was late the next afternoon before Sookie woke. She was so thirsty, her throat felt like sandpaper and her bladder was screaming. There was a thin sheet lying over the bare mattress and she pulled it from under Eric, worrying the whole time that it would rip. She hesitated on the ladder before pulling the latch and again before pushing open the metal door, but Eric was positioned far away from the ladder. The light from outside wasn't too bright and Sookie moved as quickly as she could, closing the hatch door behind her. "Thank goodness it didn't rain!" she said, walking briskly past the bunkbed frame. It looked bizarre, sitting in the middle of the yard, and Sookie hoped her Aunt hadn't lied about having their privacy today. If anyone did stop, she wasn't sure how she'd explain it.

Sookie showered and dressed. She sat in the kitchen, eating the food her Aunt left, looking over the fields and trying to imagine her mother and father growing up near here. Tonight, she and Eric would fly to Boston. "What would bring me back here?" Sookie asked herself. For most, it would be the desire to share children with family, but that wasn't her future. ' _Funerals_ ,' her voice told her. "Jason's wedding, I suppose," she said out loud, blotting out the sadder thought.

Checking her watch, Sookie headed upstairs. She straightened the suitcases, then went outside, retrieving the wedding dress from the backseat of the car. She filled her minutes sweeping up flower petals and straightening rooms. She moved the chair back from the foot of the bed in the master bedroom, laughing as she remembered the sound the bed made, and then blushed, thinking about the things she and Eric had done to each other in the aftermath.

As the shadows stretched, she was sure she could feel him stirring. It wasn't a true calling. It was more ethereal, as if a memory had brushed against her and Sookie knew she was hearing him from wherever he drifted, awaiting night. "I'm here," she answered, heading out to the root cellar, and then she said, "I'll always be here for you," as she stretched out beside him.

"Not always," he answered, opening his eyes.

"I love you." The words tumbled out of her and when he stared, she shrugged, "I really do."

His thumb traced her lower lip, and then her cheek. "You are precious to me, Sookie. Being with you… I am content."

It wasn't what Sookie wanted to hear, but she knew Eric loved her. It was as Uncle Lars said; it was in the names he gave her and his actions. It was in the way his eyes glowed as he looked at her, the bond between them letting her feel the deeper meaning behind his words.

"We should get going," she said out loud. "Linda and Lars will be holding dinner. It's probably the last time I'll see Jason for a while. He's shipping out."

"You will miss your family?" Eric asked.

"Yes," Sookie nodded, "but you are my family now. You, and Pam, and Ireland. Jason is really the only person left in this world that's known me all my life, and he's leaving too. Truth is, I don't think we were ever particularly close. Jason and me, we're just different people."

It made her feel a little lost, but Eric smiled, "So, it's a good thing we found each other."

"Yes," Sookie sighed. "Yes, it is,"

Eric became very still. Sookie hadn't seen him do it often, but it made an impression. "You could be with me forever," he said quietly.

Sookie know what he was asking, "No, Eric. I'm not ready to talk about that. Not yet," and she sat up. "I'm going to the house," and she walked up the stairs, leaving the doors open to the dim light.

There was a new face at Linda and Lars' table. It was Lars' mother, Inger. She didn't say much, but her dark eyes were sharp. When dinner was over, they walked out onto the porch, enjoying the last of Fall's warm nights. Linda took Jason inside to show him a family heirloom, and Sookie turned to see Inger staring at her. "You remind me of your Grandmother," Inger said.

"Mama!" Lars cautioned, but Inger showed no signs of hearing him.

"She was a witch, too, but nothing so special as you. She was a hedge witch. You know what that is." Sookie felt pinned by the old woman's words.

"No," she said after a minute.

Eric moved behind her. Inger's eyes never left Sookie's, but she jerked her chin. "Your draugur would frighten me, but I am old. I don't fear death."

"Mama!" Lars exclaimed again, "There is no need for this. They have accepted the hospitality of this house and they are welcome here."

"Best that you are going," Inger continued to speak directly to Sookie. "Your kind never means to bring trouble, but you always do. Like your Father. Like your Grandmother. Trouble and strange things."

"I'd like you to have that…" Linda was saying as she and Jason walked back on the porch, making Sookie's head turn. Sookie felt a cool chill run through her, and Eric's hand rested on her shoulder. She looked back at Inger, but the old woman was staring out into the night.

When it was time to go, Lars said goodbye first. He explained he had to drive his mother back to her home. He hugged Sookie and shook Eric's hand. Inger didn't say anything and when her son scolded her about taking her leave, she appeared not to hear him. Still, she moved quickly enough down the stairs, leaving her son to follow her to the car.

"Maybe Lars and I will make it out to Ireland to visit," Linda said, covering up for Inger's behavior. "I can't believe how fast this all went. I'm so happy you came!"

"I am, too," Sookie assured her. It was harder saying goodbye to Jason. Sookie found herself clinging to him, "You have my email and phone number. Please stay in touch," she whispered.

"Of course, I will!" he assured her, his wide, cock-eyed smile too bright, but when he stepped back, he made a point of wrapping his arm around Linda's shoulders.

Sookie knew, looking at him, that her place in her brother's affections was now behind their Aunt. It stung, but it also allowed Sookie's eyes to remain dry as she and Eric drove away.


	35. Chapter 34 - Something Wicked

**Chapter 34 – Something Wicked**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Sookie fell asleep against him almost as soon as the wheels left the tarmac. The crew was efficient and the flight attendant showed proper discretion in her treatment. She made a point of interacting with Sookie, making his mate feel comfortable, and then she made herself scarce so Eric could entice his wife closer.

' _I love you_ ,' she'd whispered, stroking his chest with her fine fingers. Now that she'd said it, she seemed to like saying the words often. It wasn't that Eric didn't want her to. Truth be told, he liked hearing her say them, and that was what was making him uncomfortable.

Sookie's human wedding had stirred a Pandora's box of memories. Eric hadn't thought of his turning in many ages and now, he couldn't stop. He remembered his lost bride's face, even if he didn't remember her name. He remembered the smell of her family's cattle, drifting across the field the moment he saw the bundle of rags that was Appius. Eric had been proud, a blooded warrior. Appius spent their first few years together breaking that pride.

Eric understood now that forcing him to become nothing allowed him to be rebuilt into the man he was today. Eric may have doubted his Maker's method, but he both loved and feared Appius. Appius Livius Ocella was a great man, a colossus among vampires. Appius refused to take a crown, although it was his right. Appius scoffed that royal concerns were petty concerns; beneath him, and Eric acknowledged some part of his reluctance to enter politics was because of his Maker.

When Eric handed Maude's envoy the keys to the car, the woman's eyebrows rose. Eric had made a cursory effort to clean off well wishes and toilet paper, but traces remained. The envoy said nothing, yet Eric could see her scorn. ' _What would Appius say?_ ' The thought sprang into his head, and haunted all his interactions with Sookie.

"Wake me when we get there?" Sookie raised the armrest and laid her head in his lap. Her eyes shone. She was sleepy and her quiet state made her emotions more pronounced. She did love him. He could feel her adoration. It made him warm. He wanted to return the words, but knew he couldn't. He was vampire. He honored her too well to tell her things he couldn't, shouldn't, feel.

"Of course, min hustru," he said instead. "Sleep now." He sighed once she slipped away. It was easier when she wasn't conscious.

They were met at Logan by the New England King's emissary. "I am James," the tall Were informed them. "King Robert extends his welcome to you, Sheriff."

"Is your King in town?" Eric asked.

"Not tonight," and Eric saw James' eyes drop to where Sookie's fingers were entwined with his own. "You may not have heard, but our Clan Summit starts in two nights. There are preparations underway and the King returns tomorrow. Robert has instructed me to extend an invitation to you to attend as his special guest," and his eyes traveled to Sookie's face, "along with your Bonded."

"We will be honored," Eric replied, then bowed. He could feel Sookie's irritation. He supposed it was because he didn't ask her consent first. He was vampire. She was his mate. It was time she learned her place. "This is Sookie Northman," then using his teaching voice, he instructed Sookie, "It is our custom to bow when introduced, Sookie. A slight incline of the head is appropriate for someone of James' standing."

Sookie was nothing if not polite and she followed Eric's prompt, but the vampire could feel her temper flickering and when they followed James through the terminal, she made no move to take his hand again.

James rode in the back of the black car with them. After offering Sookie a soft drink, he turned his attention to Eric, chatting about the upcoming Summit and identifying which of the Moshup Clan royalty would be in attendance.

Sookie stared out the window, freeing Eric from making an effort to include her in the conversation. As they pulled up to the hotel, James remarked, "I heard your time in Maude's kingdom was spent indulging in local customs, Sheriff."

It was lightly done, though pointed enough. "Observing the customs of one's Bonded is honorable," Eric replied.

"Of course," James smirked, staring out the window. "One must expect variety when bonding with someone so… Alive."

The car pulled to the curb, and, as it stopped, James stepped out. He leaned back in the car, offering Sookie his hand, ignoring protocols which forbid touching a vampire's human without her vampire's express permission. The rule didn't exactly apply to vampire mates, but Sookie wasn't vampire.

Eric's jaw clenched. Sookie was smiling, unconscious of rules being broken and disrespect being shown. Eric stepped between James and Sookie, forcing the Were to step back as he secured her arm through his own. "I will be speaking with your Master. I will be certain to let him know the courtesy extended in his name."

James flinched. It wasn't much, but it was enough. As Eric pulled Sookie after him, he snarked, "Oh, and you'll take care of the luggage, won't you, James? Good dog."

Sookie's unhappiness stilled as they stepped into the small lobby. Her eyes widened and she sighed, "This place is beautiful." They were staying at a vampire-friendly hotel located in the Beacon Hill section of the city. From the outside, it looked like every other door on the street, but, inside, it was classic opulence. With a Summit in town, every place with light-tight accommodations would be booked, but there was always a room for one's most-favored guest and, in this place, Eric was a most-favored guest.

Jeffrey, the hotel concierge, was waiting for them. "Welcome back, Mr. Northman." He was short and impeccably dressed. He wore no tie. Suits had fallen from favor in the world of concierges. Instead, Jeffrey wore casual slacks and a bespoke white shirt. "And this must be your Bonded!" He bowed a little more deeply to Sookie. "Welcome to Grave House, Mrs. Northman. You are more beautiful than rumor reports. Always a pleasure when fact outstrips gossip."

"My Bonded is fatigued," Eric answered for Sookie again. He knew his actions were angering her, but he ignored it. She was his human mate; his answering for her was expected. There would be time upstairs to explain. Behaving as they did in Minnesota surrounded by humans was one thing, but they were in his world now, and it was becoming clear from the reactions of those around them that there was a problem. A vampire's reputation was built over centuries, but could be destroyed in moments. Years of training were telling Eric he was in danger. His mind clicked, thinking through the nuances and protocols.

"We are not prepared to attend Robert's Summit," Eric informed Jeffrey as the concierge showed them their rooms. "I have a tailor here who stores my suits, but my Bonded will need proper clothing."

"Of course," the concierge bowed. "The opening ball is in two nights, so there is no rush. I will make arrangements." He directed the porters with their luggage and oversaw the unpacking before turning to Sookie, "Perhaps you would join me for lunch tomorrow, Mrs. Northman? I can have showings from several shops arranged for your pleasure at that time," and he handed Sookie his card. "You need only call me when you are ready. We'll eat and then enjoy the show. I must apologize, but I wasn't able to determine if you have any food allergies. I would like to make certain your meal suits you..."

"Sookie doesn't have allergies…" Eric interjected.

"Sookie can speak for herself," Sookie snapped. "Thank you, Jeffrey. I don't have any food allergies. Perhaps a salad, some chicken?"

"My Bonded likes desserts," Eric offered. He meant it to be kind, but Sookie's eyes narrowed.

"No need, Jeffrey," she contradicted. "I've had plenty of sugar over the past few days, and I could use a break." She shot Eric a look that told the vampire Sookie was really talking about him.

"Thank you, Jeffrey," and Jeffrey knew it was his cue to leave.

As the concierge reached the door, he offered, "It is still quite early for the city and the weather is lovely. If you aren't too tired, I could recommend a bistro around the corner." He looked at Eric, "They are familiar with the guests here and are most accommodating. I can arrange a table."

Eric could feel Sookie's hunger, but he purposely waited for her answer. "That would be nice," she said after a bit, and then "Thank you."

The door shut behind the concierge and Eric counted two before Sookie turned on him, "Why are you being such an asshole?"

"We may be in danger." Eric didn't sugarcoat it, "You remember what Pam told you, about being a target."

Sookie's mouth fell open, "But you said…"

"I may have been too optimistic," Eric conceded. "America is different. Vampires here can be brash. As you know, vampires choose to live by many rules, and those in America follow them closely. A vampire who steps outside the lines is respected…or challenged. One rule is that vampires, particularly those in positions of power, don't marry…"

"Humans," Sookie let out a breath. "So, what did you see that has you worried?"

Eric explained the envoy in Minnesota, "By itself, her reaction was nothing, but as soon as we landed, there was James," and Eric explained the double meaning behind James' words. "I don't believe in coincidence. Two slights in different geographic areas in the same evening are concerning."

"Okay," and she calmed, demonstrating the level-headedness Eric admired. "Then what's the game plan?"

Sookie's eyes were less cold, although Eric could feel her happiness slipping. "We follow vampire protocol. We work to make you more vampire than those around you. I will have to check in with Robert tomorrow night, and I will mention your connection to Niall."

"I guess, if you think that's the only way." Sookie looked away before she asked, "Are we really in trouble, Eric, or are you just ashamed of me?"

"You are my mate!" Eric protested. "I will defend you to the death." Sookie's words struck close to something, but he continued, "I hadn't realized there was a Summit here; these American Clans and their formalities! We could make excuses, not go, but if we don't attend, it will fuel rumors. If we attend, and Robert treats us with respect, it will send a message…"

"…And allow you to keep your pride," Sookie finished. She was smiling, but her eyes were sad.

"It isn't that!" he protested again. "I am sworn to protect you. If those in our world doubt my ability to do that, you will be in danger. Trust me!"

"I do," she said, but Eric could feel her uncertainty and it grated.

Her stomach growled, and Eric leaned over to kiss her. He told himself it was for her benefit, but he knew it was for his own, "When would you like to go to dinner?"

Jeffrey was called, and Sookie took a quick shower, changing into a dress. It was warm, and they found themselves seated at a sidewalk table, watching young people intent on entertainment streaming past. The ambient noise made it hard to hear those seated near them, and Eric positioned his chair next to Sookie so they could use this time to talk about what was needed.

"It would be best if you enjoyed the showing tomorrow. Jeffrey knows what to do," Eric started. "The dresses you will see will be expensive. Narrow it down to two or three. I would like to be included in your final choice. Do not ask about price! There will be no tags and if you appear concerned about money, it will be passed along. Remember, anyone who visits the hotel knows what we are, and that means they have connections to others in the supernatural world."

"And you worry about what they'll say," and Sookie rolled her eyes. "I don't understand it and I don't want to! I have never lived my life to meet someone else's expectations. My Daddy said…"

"And your Daddy is dead, probably killed. That is the reality of our world now, Sookie. I am sorry I agreed to this Boston diversion. It would have been better if we'd simply returned to Ireland or continued someplace else, but we are here and trouble has found us." Eric sat back, waiting for their server to take orders and place a basket of rolls on the table.

"So you say," Sookie muttered. She didn't look at him, instead paying attention to the roll between her fingers. She broke it apart, and then broke off another piece. Eric thought she would eat, but instead she shifted the pieces around the small plate, using it as an excuse.

Exasperated, Eric took Sookie's fingers, tugging gently until she exhaled. "I am old, Sookie, and I survived this long by paying attention to the signs around me. You may think I'm being paranoid…"

"I think something happened in Minnesota," Sookie confronted him. "I think being reminded of your human life made you question things. You pulled back from me, from us, and I can feel it."

"Nothing has changed between us," Eric replied. "This is a new situation."

"I'm going to see Amelia tomorrow," Sookie replied, changing the subject.

"I don't think…" and Eric sat back as Sookie leaned in toward him.

"You are not the boss of me! I came here to see Amelia. I'll do the lunch thing and I'll pick out a dress, but I'm going to meet my friend for dinner, Eric. You can join us or not. It's up to you, but I'm going." Eric found himself at a loss for words. Sookie wasn't angry, she wasn't sad. Instead, she was determined, and it both frustrated and impressed him.

"I will arrange someone to drive you," he nodded.

"A babysitter?" Sookie was staring right at him and Eric could see she wasn't going to let him off the hook.

"A guard, yes," he nodded. "It will be someone discrete. Your friend, Amelia, will be impressed. She likes the trappings of money."

"He'd better do what I tell him," Sookie stated and Eric knew he'd won this round.

"I will use that time to check in with Robert," Eric nodded.

"Well, if he offers you a blood buffet, don't feel like you have to hold back on my account." She was trying to remain calm, even cold toward him, but, for a moment, he felt the hurt under Sookie's words and his heart, which shouldn't have existed, ached.

"I gave you a promise, Älskade. I do not wish to take it back. I…" and he took her hand, "I may fail you from time to time, but, Sookie, that doesn't mean that I don't wish to try to be worthy of you." He kissed the back of her hand, and he heard her breath catch. "Please, my Lover. Please understand that I only wish you to be safe, that I wish you…" and he pulled back, hooding his eyes and emotions as the server approached with their meals. For Sookie, there was a large salad, and for him, a dark goblet.

"You seem to wish that I'm something I'm not," Sookie told him.

"No, I am not asking you to change. I'm asking you to act in a way that will safeguard us. Don't tell me you've never acted, Sookie! Don't tell me you haven't done things you didn't wish to make others more comfortable around you. Acting doesn't change who you are but, in this case, it may allow us to continue doing as we wish." Eric looked out at the passers-by who crowded Boston's sidewalks. "I enjoy this. I enjoy sitting in the open, watching the living swirl around me. It was not always this way."

Eric sat back, "There was a time when my kind hid in the shadows. We ruled the night and feared the day, because angry humans hunted, seeking to destroy us in our day death. We were hated, Sookie! Reviled!" He took her hand, "Feared. It taught us that our natural instincts could cause our destruction. We learned to act; hide what we most wanted, and our reward is this," and Eric gestured at those around them. "I can sit here in the middle of humanity and with some precautions, not worry about being staked in my sleep." He looked at his mate, "Do you understand?"

"I'm not a vampire, Eric," Sookie pointed out.

"No, you are bonded to a vampire. That makes you my responsibility," and when Sookie drew in breath, Eric added, "in my world. Sookie," and he leaned forward, "that means we are one. Perhaps it would be easier if you considered you are responsible for me as well. Your actions can endanger me. Your unwillingness to respect the rules can invite rivals to challenge me. Is that what you want?"

"No," Sookie sighed. "Fine. You tell me what I need to do and I'll try."

"It's all I'm asking," Eric assured her, but he knew that wasn't exactly true. "First, you should know there are many rules! I blame it on our memories. We are immortal and incapable of forgetting, so remembering and perfectly executing is a matter of pride."

"That's ridiculous," Sookie grated.

"Most social conventions are," Eric agreed. "Ties? What purpose do they serve, but someone decided it was a rule and so we wear them." Sookie smiled, and Eric took that as a sign, "Let's start with bowing. It is more than a bow; it tells everyone what you think without having to use words." Eric started with the obvious degrees, those who were given head bows versus those whose rank required more.

When he started on angles, Sookie protested, "I'm not a vampire, Eric! I'll never remember all of this! I can figure out ninety degrees, but forty? Really?"

"You are new to our world. It's known and you may be viewed as a new Child, so you'll be forgiven much." He covered her hand with his own before saying, "Let's move on to touching protocols."

"How many rules are there?" Sookie groaned.

"Many," Eric grinned, "and I will confess something to you. Because I am the oldest in most gatherings, when someone irks me, I make up another rule."

It caught Sookie. She exhaled and her eyes warmed. "You really are a pain the ass, aren't you, Eric?"

"How can they dispute what I say?" He laughed. "I tell them some pedigree or circumstance and they glaze over, filing it away to beat their friends with later." She laughed, and he used her sudden good humor as an excuse to pull her to him and kiss her. He hungered for her. It had been many hours since he'd had her on the plane and he wanted her again.

Sookie pulled back from him. She knew. He hadn't held back his feelings, but instead of suggesting they leave, she said, "So, about those touching protocols." She lifted her fork to her lips and smiled as she flicked out her tongue before taking in her food. His cock twitched and she smiled wider.

"You should be vampire," he hissed.

"I don't want to be vampire," she shrugged. "Not now. I like who I am, even if I have to act. Touching protocols, Eric!"

"Fine," and he admired her through narrowed eyes. "No one is allowed to touch you without my permission. Vampires are sensitive to their environments, so even touch leaves trace scent. As mine, you should only smell of me."

"And what about you?" Sookie asked.

"If you were vampire, you could demand the same," Eric told her.

Tilting her head, Sookie challenged, "Well, I'm your Bonded. Doesn't that count?"

"If you make a claim, you have to be willing to fight for it," Eric explained. "It's understood that my claim to you can be challenged, which means a fight, Sookie. Vampires don't fight without purpose. A fight means final death."

"Great!" and Sookie was unhappy, "So, every time you vampires get together, someone dies?"

Eric wondered that she made that assumption, then remembered Queen Sophie-Ann's was the only vampire gathering Sookie had seen. The incident with the young blood donor had left an impression and Sookie had mentioned it more than once. "We are not so uncivilized," he assured her. "When open combat happens now, it is usually an excuse to air out other grievances." Eric's thoughts shifted to the Summit. If things were unsettled and he was viewed as vulnerable, challenging for the rights to Sookie would be a good excuse to try and end him, so Eric added 'sword' to the list of items he wished to discuss with Robert.

"So, let me get this straight," and Eric's thoughts returned to his woman, "you can demand people not touch me, but I can't stop people from fondling you. So, where does that leave me? Don't I have any rights?"

"You are unique," Eric frowned. "I don't think any vampire can remember a bonding where one of the partners wasn't vampire. There are songs, of course…"

"Songs," and Sookie stared at him. "I sure hope they're good ones! Look, if it's been that long, why don't you just make up some rules? Like you said, not like anyone's seen something like us before. Just tell them the rules come from some legendary couple."

Eric couldn't help smiling, "You are clever, my wife. With your Fae feel and the unusual nature of our bonding, it would be easy enough to plant a few hints. They may not believe it, but the possibility would give them pause, and that, combined with Robert's good grace, would be all we'd need." Eric looked out into the crowd, "They would wonder. We must make certain the dress is spectacular. You should reveal your true face…"

"Let's not get carried away!" Sookie protested. "I'm pretty good at hiding my scent, but I'm not sure I'm ready to pull a reveal standing in a shark tank."

"Shark tank?" Eric asked.

Sookie blushed, realizing what she said. "It's something Claudine told me. She calls vampires the Fae version of sharks."

Eric threw his head back and laughed. People around them stared and then smiled. He knew he was handsome and this aspect never failed to gain him compliments. "It's a good description, much kinder than what I call the Seelie."

Sookie was smiling for him now and that made him feel better. "What do you call them?" she asked.

Eric leaned forward, waiting for her to lean forward as well. "Assholes," he said and was rewarded by her bright laughter.

The mood between them lightened, and Eric gestured for the dessert tray. "I shouldn't," Sookie sighed, staring at the offerings.

"I prefer not to hurt myself," Eric teased. When Sookie looked puzzled, he answered, "Skinny is sharp," making her blush, but also incenting her to choose the slice of lemon cake.

"So," she said, licking her fork in a way that made Eric's cock twitch again, 'What are the rules about humans and vampires?"

"Most involve blood slaves." Her tongue had distracted him and he cursed himself, watching her still.

"Do vampires have those?" Her voice was small and she set her fork down.

"These days, it's humans who are willing," Eric lied. "We call them pets, not very kind, but less open to misinterpretation. They are like the humans in Sophie-Ann's court. They align themselves with vampires in hopes of becoming one themselves. Often, there is affection between the vampire and their human. I suppose it is the equivalent of dating."

"You're being clever with me," Sookie observed, and then asked, "Have you ever kept a blood slave, Eric?"

"I have had a companion," he offered instead, and then cocked his head, "But we could play at blood slave, if you wish. It is a passionate relationship, one where the Master gets to dictate apparel and services." He allowed just the tips of his fangs to show below his lip and he pushed his lust at her.

"And I suppose you get to be the Master?" and Sookie placed her hand on his knee.

"I think it's your turn," and Eric ran her hand further up his leg until she was cupping him.

"Well, then," and Sookie stood, "I think we can start by you settling the bill."

As they walked back to the hotel, Sookie sighed, "Will my life ever be simple again?"

"Do you wish that?" Eric asked. "I find that simple lives have moments of interest, but long stretches of boredom. Times like these may feel draining, but the alternate can feel like death." He pulled Sookie's arm through his, "You are a restless, curious soul. You may think that sitting in a chair, watching the world walk past would suit you, but I know it wouldn't. You would chafe in that life. It would be like Ballytyne all over again, pacing the house like a bound lion, staring through windows, waiting to fly free."

"I guess you know me pretty well," Sookie sniffed. "It's just I could do with a little less trouble."

"And soon we will be back in Ireland. We will settle into a routine. I will work and you will begin your university and your work as well. Those around us will begin to recognize our routines, and we will find enough sameness to satisfy you, Lover. For now, life is bright and hard. Enjoy the feeling, for it is in danger that we are truly alive." Sookie seemed to accept what he said and his mind flipped through the hours ahead. He would make love with his mate, finding his release many times before day death took him. Tomorrow, there was Robert and arrangements, and then, the Summit.

' _The attorney_ ,' he remembered. Somewhere, close by, Mr. Cataliades was living in a human house, biding his time. Sookie described him as her neighbor, but Eric knew Desmond Cataliades as a demon, an Unseelie, and he knew the attorney worked for Niall Brigant.

It had been over a year since Sookie's mother's death and yet, Sookie told him the estate hadn't been settled. When the vampire was first approached by the Seelie King, Eric offered to place a sum of money into Sookie's hands through Mr. Cataliades, freeing her, but Niall forbid it. Now, Eric had done Niall's bidding, pledging to his granddaughter, providing her protection, and, still, the estate remained open. It made Eric wonder what the Seelie King had in mind.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"I can never tell if you're sincere in your courtesies, or If your bow is another way of telling us to go fuck ourselves," Robert dead-panned.

"For you?" and Eric's eyebrow cocked, "Always sincere!"

"Yes," Robert laughed "I thought so." The King gestured to the seat across from him, "I didn't expect to see you back in my kingdom so soon. I missed you on your last visit. What was it, again? Errands?"

"A job for a business partner," Eric replied, setting his elbows on the armrests.

"And now, you return, bonded." Robert's smile dropped, "I was sorry to hear about it. Sophie-Ann was wrong to force this on you. I can't imagine the inconvenience, but I'm told she's fragile, your human. I'm surprised you haven't worked yourself up to it already. I'm told the pain will be profound, but quick." Robert sipped, his eyes far away, "Your Maker taught you harder lessons. You know how to endure pain."

Eric watched the King. He and Robert weren't exactly friends, but they had known each other for ages. "Sookie is not quite human," he offered.

"But you gave her a human marriage," Robert pointed out.

Eric felt the weight of Robert's stare. "I did," he confirmed, cursing himself for not taking more time to clean the car in Minnesota. He might have lied when he returned it, claiming it was borrowed, but his own name was written many times in cake icing and soap. "As I told Sophie-Ann, my mate is personal business and I am content with this. I pledged to her of my own free will."

"I see." Robert sat back. "I'm sure there's more to the story. Surely, there is some business advantage."

Eric forced his jaw to relax. The King knew something, but wasn't revealing how much. Eric supposed Robert hoped to catch Eric in a lie. "She is the descendent of Niall Brigant," Eric offered.

"I did hear that. And she…her name is Sookie, isn't it? At any rate, she was here, in my kingdom, all that time. I remember when Niall parked his woman in this country. I suppose she would have been Sookie's grandmother." Robert templed his fingers, "The old trickster waltzed in and out of Maude's kingdom, thinking himself too smart to be noticed. Seelie!"

"They do think much of themselves," Eric agreed, waiting, every instinct on alert. When Robert didn't speak, Eric added, "When Sookie's presence was revealed, Niall made his interest known."

The King appeared bored until you noticed his sharp eyes. "Still, that's not who brought you to Boston in the first place, Eric. You are Rogan's business partner and Rogan sent his own son to fetch her. I heard your Bonded arrived in Ireland as Breandan's concubine."

"Not concubine," Eric corrected. "Breandan planned to marry her, according to her rites. Rogan was most distressed."

"So, it wasn't a betrayal, but an intervention?" Robert rolled his goblet between his fingers, "I hear Breandan is now lost, become Unseelie. Rogan has retreated into self-exile, mourning, I suppose. It's said his kingdom drifts, leaderless, awaiting some strong sword to take it."

"I'm not sure that's an accurate description," Eric smiled. "But, if your source is in Ireland, I'm not surprised. The Irish do tend toward the dramatic."

"Quite," and Robert sipped. "After all, the great Eric Northman wouldn't betray a partner over a woman…or would you?"

"Niall suggested our pledging." It was the right thing to say, but Eric couldn't help feeling he was betraying his mate.

"Oh," and Robert smiled. "So, this was about a favor. It's good to hear that Niall has finally asserted himself. Rogan deserves it. Revenge, then! That is honorable."

"You have always known me to be honorable," Eric forced his own smile in return.

"And you will have your Sookie with you at my Summit. I'm told she has a twinge of something otherworldly, but it's easy to miss. It would be best to display her in a manner everyone understands. She is your mate, but presenting her as what she is, an asset, would cause fewer questions." Robert waited for Eric's response. It was on the tip of the Viking's tongue to protest, but he swallowed it, nodding instead.

"Good! The right dress and a sufficient number of chains should do the trick," and Robert seemed satisfied.

"I didn't bring jewelry with me," Eric shrugged. "We are headed back to Ireland soon and with the Summit tomorrow, I'm afraid…"

"Say no more!" Robert waved his hand. "I will be happy to loan you the appropriate jewels. My last companion passed. Of course, I retired her many years ago, but I was fond of her. I wouldn't loan her jewelry if she were still among the living. A kindness, you understand?"

"Of course," and Eric saw the trap closing in. "And a favor."

"Which I'll collect at some time," and Robert rose. "For the moment, let's call it a kindness between two old friends."

Eric left with a black, wooden box. The chains were lovely; platinum and studded with jewels. They reminded him of the chains Niall had gifted Sookie as part of her bride price. Those had been Seelie, but these were crafted to declare the wearer a vampire's possession. As Eric sat in the back of the taxi, inching through traffic toward the hotel, he called Pam.

"I can't believe I'm missing the Summit!" she exclaimed. "Does Robert still wear that stick up his ass?"

Eric chuckled, "He hasn't changed." He told Pam of his conversation with the vampire king of New England.

"He's still well-informed. Too well-informed. It has to be someone in Sophie-Ann's court," Pam growled.

"Or one of the Sheriffs," Eric sighed. "Xavier and I both worked with Robert before he decided to emigrate. There's others, even Andre has a connection."

"It doesn't matter. You go, you charm, and you jump on the first plane home. It's not as interesting around here. Business is good and everyone seems to want to pretend nothing's going on." Eric could hear her shift and a murmur, and then Pam added, "We loved the pictures. She really did make a lovely bride."

"Not as elegant as her pledging, but she didn't have you to dress her this time," Eric praised.

"Please tell me you got her a decent dress for the Summit. Not that those American vampires matter all that much, but it's still important." In the background, Eric heard a voice he recognized as Maryann's add, "ask about the shoes."

Eric bit back his irritation, explaining, "The concierge here is quite good. There were several dresses in our room when I rose. I'm assuming I'll have a viewing once Sookie returns."

"Returns?" Pam asked. "Are you in trouble?"

"No," and Eric frowned, "Why do you ask?"

"You rose and your mate wasn't there. You went to talk with Robert and didn't take her. Are you and Sookie fighting?"

"Wouldn't surprise me," Eric heard Maryann chirp.

"Why would we be fighting?" Eric tried to sound aggrieved, but he couldn't even convince himself.

"More like how are you able to get along?" Pam hooted. "She's stubborn and so are you! You are talking with her, right? Explaining things?"

"I know how to conduct my own affairs," Eric protested.

"But, Sookie isn't an affair. She's your wife, and that's new for you. Please tell me you are treating her with respect, not just ordering her around," Pam scolded.

"She wouldn't listen if I did," Eric huffed, much to Pam's delight. "She is as stubborn as you say." 

"And proud," Pam added. "Treat her as your equal and you won't have any problems."

Eric stared at the box beside him, "Robert suggested she wear chains," he said. "In fact, he insisted."

"What?" Pam squawked and then, "Tell me you charmed him out of that idea."

"It would have required revealing more. He pressed me about Rogan, wondering why I was putting her ahead of business… Vampires…"

"To which you said, 'None of your business,'" Pam pushed.

"Don't be foolish," Eric hissed. "Sookie is already attracting too much attention. I told him of her relationship to Brigant, which wasn't any secret to Robert, by the way. He's convinced she's part of a bargain I struck with Niall, so I left it that way."

"You better hope no one explains those chains to her," Pam growled.

"I will be at her side all night. No one would dare insult her with me there. We make our appearances, we dance the first few numbers, and then make our apologies. We stay only long enough to visit Cataliades…"

"I didn't know he was there!" and then Pam whispered to Maryann, telling her she'd explain later.

"He's been here all along. He's working for Niall. Sookie thinks he's her Mother's attorney, settling the estate." Eric pulled his phone back to check for any messages from the demon, "I texted him, but the bastard isn't responding. Probably waiting for instructions from his boss."

"I'll grant you, it's odd," Pam agreed, "but a demon lawyer isn't going to be your biggest problem. You need to tell Sookie what's going on. Not planning for the worst isn't like you, Eric, and having her hear herself being described as your possession and you not being in a position to contradict that isn't going to go well."

"You worry too much," Eric shrugged, "but I will speak with her." The taxi pulled up outside the hotel, "I will let you know about the Summit."

"Send me a picture of the dress," Pam asked. "Better yet, a picture of the two of you all dolled up. I'll put it in my family album."

"You have a family album?" Eric wasn't sure exactly what Pam meant.

"You better tell her, Eric," Pam scolded, "Or the page will be labeled, 'Before,' and your fangs, yanked out, will be labeled 'After.'"

"You are wise," Eric chuckled, "I will tell her." Eric could feel Sookie was here already and he barely nodded to the woman at the front desk as he headed up to their rooms. His mate was sitting down, staring out the windows, but she rose when he walked in.

"Hungry?" she asked.

"You are kind to notice," and Eric walked forward, wrapping her in his arms. Drawing her to him, kissing her, holding her, seemed so perfect. She fit within his grasp as if she was made for him, and even though he could feel she was upset, he could also feel her calm within his arms.

"Guess you're happy to see me," she spoke against his chest.

"I am content, now" Eric answered honestly. He set the box down and then drew Sookie to sit on the end of the bed. "How was your visit with Amelia?"

"Oh…you know," she sighed, leaning her head over in response to his nuzzling.

"I'm not sure I do," he whispered, licking along the column of her neck, enjoying her scent and the thrum of her blood racing through her veins. "You should be happy, excited, and instead, you are muted. Was your friend not happy to see you?"

"She takes credit for calling our wedding," Sookie answered, and then stretched into him, drawing in a sharp breath, warming. Eric added hands, stroking her breast and Sookie covered his hand, encouraging him to squeeze.

"Too many clothes," Eric rasped and together, they moved with purpose. When Eric's fingers stumbled over her buttons, Sookie pushed his hands away to simply pull her shirt over her head. She wasn't entirely ready when Eric pushed into her, but he wished to feel his possession. Once within her, though, he stilled. He looked down at her, shifting her leg to pull it more fully over his hip, allowing him that last inch.

"I want it to always be like this between us," Sookie told him.

"How's that?" Eric asked, drawing his thumb down the curve of her cheek.

"Hungry. Happy. I love you, Eric," and she smiled a little before saying, "Now, move!"

"As my lady commands," he answered. He drew it out, teasing, bringing her to the brink and then stilling, substituting kisses for stimulation, allowing her breath to slow, and then stoking her fires again.

When he did it a second time, she growled, "Cut it out! You're driving me crazy."

"What do you want from me, Sookie?" and when her eyes locked with his, he growled, "Say it! Tell me what you want!"

"Fuck me!" she gasped. "I need you to be the Master this time."

His fangs clicked down and his cock twitched. Vampires were possessive by nature. Hearing the words fed his inner beast, "As you wish."

"Are you quoting "Princess Bride" to me?" Sookie gasped as he started moving more briskly.

"Perhaps," Eric smirked, "but what I would like to hear from you is something else." He grabbed her hands, then pulled from her. "On your knees, Princess. Ass in the air." He pushed her knees apart a little more before lining up with her again. He stroked back and forth a few times, gathering their moisture on his fingers. "I know you like to have all your holes engaged," he purred, petting her rosebud. "I didn't think to bring something for your mouth, but we will be home soon enough. Besides, I want to hear the noises you make," and he worked his thumb into her.

Her sharp exhale and her quickened heartbeat were his reward. "I love to feel myself moving within you, Sookie. Now, I'm going to use a second finger. Play with yourself, Lover. You know how to do it." He could feel her walls tightening around him already. It wouldn't take her long to cum. Sookie was no novice to anal, but Eric hadn't attempted yet. He found preparing was half the fun and their first time would be with her in control and a better brand of lubricant close by.

The second finger was a tight fit and he knew it was a little uncomfortable. "Rub harder," he encouraged, "Concentrate on your fingers and let yourself go." He pumped, both cock and fingers and she gasped and then moaned. "Yes, that's it!" he encouraged. "Feel me, Älskade! I am filling you, fucking you," and she cramped around him.

Her voice was strangled, "No!" he growled. "Tell me what I want to hear!"

"Eric!" she gasped, "Yes!"

"Yes!" and he pumped harder, riding her through her orgasm, twisting his fingers to give her just a touch of pain to counteract the pleasure. Her climb was precipitous and he felt her crash, her breath coming in threaded gasps.

He removed his fingers, but left his cock within her. "Come, Sookie!" and he shifted, drawing her up against his chest. She was so warm, so docile, and he ran his nose to where her neck met her shoulder, concentrating her sweet scent, and struck. Her blood tickled his tongue and he only took a few mouthfuls before the need to mate overcame his hunger.

Eric flipped her onto her back, "Hold on!" and drew her hands over her head. When she started to falter, he drew her legs over his shoulders, stroking deep and strong. He drew his head past that spot within her, over and over, finding the right rhythm until she fisted and then clenched, pulling him with her. Sookie's head was thrown back, her mouth open in a silent scream, and Eric purred with satisfaction. This was right. This was as it should be.

He pumped a few more times, encouraging her, riding through the aftershocks, and then, when she relaxed, rolled and pulled her with him, a tangle of arms and legs. "Damn, you're good," she sighed.

"You are the best I've ever had," he praised her.

"Bullshit, but thanks for saying it," Sookie chuckled.

Her eyes were heavy and Eric basked in the afterglow, but then she sighed. Eric ignored it. It was what he usually did, and then she sighed again. Whenever his bedmates sighed like that, it always meant they wished to talk about the state of their relationship. They wanted to make demands of him, and then Eric stilled. That wouldn't be the case with Sookie. There was no need for that tiresome conversation. He was hers, bonded. He could feel her preoccupation, so he asked, "Is your unhappiness tied to your visit today?"

"Fucking bond," Sookie sighed and Eric couldn't help his grin, hearing his own thoughts echoed. "I suppose. She's changed, Eric. Money changed her."

"In what way, my Lover?" Eric found he didn't really care, except that talking seemed to settle the bond.

"When I knew her, Amelia was a waitress, kind of like me. She didn't take herself so seriously. You should have seen her, today, all dolled up in her high-end clothes, moaning and groaning like being pregnant was some terminal disease!" Sookie's mood was unhappy, but she started stroking Eric's chest and that felt fine.

"And the money!" Sookie continued, "Amelia isn't working, not at all. Sean is pulling down some big salary, and both their families are showering them with gifts. Her parents gave them a house on the Cape…the Cape! Because they're pregnant!"

That caused Eric to frown. Sookie had never been comfortable accepting the things money could give her and this rant seemed to be reinforcing that behavior. "Perhaps it's not the generosity of her family and husband that upsets you," Eric suggested. "Perhaps it is your friend's lack of gratitude?"

"Unlimited wealth just spoils people," Sookie continued. "She barely asked about me, other than congratulating herself on pointing you out as the better mate, and wasn't she smart to suggest it? Oh, and she told me she saw Claude and Breandan kissing in Ireland. She couldn't explain why she didn't tell me. She knew!" Sookie rolled over and propped herself up on her elbow. "What kind of friend knows a thing like that and doesn't tell you? When I think of all the heartache it could have saved me…"

"Heartache?" Eric didn't like where this was headed at all. "Why are you talking about Brigant and heartache? Do you want him back?"

"No!" and Sookie exhaled, rolling her eyes. "No, Eric, and if I did, if I was unhappy being with you, you'd feel it, right?" and she pulled his chest hair, making sure she had his attention, "Right?"

Eric had to nod before Sookie settled back to her story, "It's just friends don't keep that kind of information to themselves."

"It's possible Amelia was glamoured," Eric shrugged.

"Glamoured?" and Sookie squinted, mulling over this new idea. "But, if she was, why would she remember it now?"

"Because the Seelie can't glamour permanently," Eric grinned. "Only vampires know the art."

"Okay," and Sookie sighed, "Maybe I can cut Amelia some slack for that," but Sookie laid her head against his chest and he could feel her unhappiness. "All she talked about was the country club and housekeepers and how inconvenient it was not fitting into her clothes. She's barely showing! If it was me…"

This was a new conversation; one Eric wasn't sure he wished to pursue. Things between them were complicated enough. Vampires sometimes took companions with children. Sometimes the children became their donors, too, but Sookie didn't already have children, and the idea of anyone else touching her made his fangs itch. Fortunately, she moved on, "You know, she quizzed me about where I'm living in Ireland? I guess she was deciding whether I rated being her friend, now that she's so important. You were right about the bodyguard, though. When she realized he'd waited for me and wasn't just some Uber driver, she got all gushy, promising to stay in touch. It was the saddest hour I've spent in a long time."

"I'm sorry your friend has changed," Eric said, not sad at all. One less wild card in their existence was fine with him. "You have new friends, now, Pam and Maryann. I spoke with Pam earlier. She asked for a picture of you in the dress."

"How's she doing?" and Sookie settled, making it easier to relax. After a bit, she turned her head, "What's that?" Eric realized she'd noticed the black wood box.

"A loan from Robert," he told her. He thought about the meaning of the chains and he thought about how angry Amelia's materialism made Sookie. "Jewelry, for tomorrow. I warned you about this. Vampires expect a certain show. It was a kindness from the King, so I hope…"

"That was nice of him," Sookie agreed. In the back of Eric's head, a voice was yelling, ' _tell her_ ,' but then Sookie stroked his cock and sucked his nipple and the voice was lost in the noise of other concerns.


	36. Chapter 35 - So We Dance

**Chapter 35 – So We Dance**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

It wasn't really any competition. Sookie pressed for the dark blue gown, but Eric prevailed with the red dress. Both looked wonderful on Sookie. They were cut to emphasize her shoulders and trim waist. Both were wired to allow her to go bra-less without looking as if she had no support, and both swept over her hips with plenty of fabric to flow around her. It wasn't the cut, though, it was the color. Eric loved red. He drove a red car whenever he could, he decorated with red, and his eye was drawn to the red dress right away. Of course, the backless design helped and now, with Sookie balanced on her heels and the links of Robert's chains draped around her neck falling in waves over her pale skin, Eric knew he was right in pushing for this one.

"They do sound nice," Sookie said, swaying a little.

Unlike other chains, vampire chains were fashioned to rub and strike against each other, emitting tiny, bell-like chimes. The purpose was to 'bell' the wearer, allowing his or her Master to track his possession's progress. "You look enchanting," Eric answered. Sookie turned again, trying to catch the effect of the chains across her flesh and Eric couldn't help it. The sight of her, the sounds, made him hard. It was foolish, but seeing her this way stroked every possessive bone in his body. He could hear Pam scolding him. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn't seem to stop. He wanted Sookie to parade in front of everyone he knew and those he didn't, her form and presentation making him the envy of Boston. Sookie was, in a word, spectacular, and she was his. "Mine!" he declared, draping his hands on her shoulders and nuzzling her neck above the knots of metal.

"You make that sound nice, too," Sookie purred, pressing against him, letting him know his state hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Our car will be here soon, my Mate," and Eric stepped back. It was difficult. His feeling of unease was growing. Eric knew what was expected of them, but doing it felt wrong. He and Sookie had teased about making up rules to explain them, but Eric hadn't been serious. Here? Among enemies? It was too risky and Sookie was too precious. Eric just wanted tonight over and done so they could return to Ireland where he would have Pam and those he trusted surrounding him while he sorted out the snarl this woman had awoken in him. He checked his phone again, "Damn!"

"What?" She was still smirking and he could feel her. She was confident in her beauty. Her eyes were warm and her chin tilted upward. She had never looked more attractive.

"I am a lucky man," he told her. ' _You love her_ ,' he admitted once again. It was on his lips to tell her, but he thought of what lay ahead this evening and pulled back. ' _Once we're home_ ,' he promised himself. ' _Ireland will be best_.'

Seeking more neutral ground, Eric introduced a new subject, "I left word for your attorney, your neighbor. I asked him to name a time to meet, but he hasn't responded. Now…"

"Mr. Cataliades?" and his mate registered surprise. "Didn't I tell you? I guess I was nervous about tonight. I spoke with Desmond this morning. The estate's nearly settled. He's emailing the paperwork to Ireland in the next few days. He apologized for taking so long, but he moved."

"Moved?" Eric recognized the code. 'Moved' meant the demon didn't wish to be found. "Well, at least it's concluded. One less loose thread, isn't that the expression?"

"Yes," and Sookie's glorious eyes clouded with a shadow of grief, "One less loose thread."

Her slightest change now drew him, so this was no different. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Älskade. It was wrong of me to speak of your Mother's estate in that way." Eric raised his hand to cup the side of her face. He needed to touch her, his feelings too real. The connection lay open between them, stronger than any he'd felt, except one.

There was a discrete knock at the door. It was Sookie who turned away first. "Car's here," she smiled.

The Summit was as every Summit. Appearance factored into who was chosen to become vampire and it was true here in the Americas, too. The gathering was breath-taking. Beautiful people moved through well-appointed rooms, wearing designer clothes. All young, all perfect, until you noticed the world-weariness etched into their features.

Eric led Sookie to stand in the reception line. The vampires around them spoke in their soft sing-song, the hiss making it almost impossible for human ears to understand. "My Bonded," he said to the King, when it was their turn. "Sookie Northman."

"You decided to take his name?" Robert asked Sookie. "How very traditional. I understand it's not done so often in these times."

"We live in Ireland," Sookie replied. "Things are more traditional there."

"Just so," Robert nodded. "It's one of the reasons we came to this country. Fewer traditions, fewer rules."

"Really?" and Sookie's eyes grew round, "I heard you left the old rules so you could come here and create twice as many."

Robert smiled when Sookie said her impertinent thing, but Eric felt the tension around them ratchet up. Robert's outward expression was calm, but Eric wasn't fooled. "You might be right about that," Robert continued. "You are a charming creature, Sookie! Perhaps you would do me a small favor?" and Eric felt himself still.

Sookie glanced at Eric before answering, "If I can." It was the right answer and the right action for a pet, although Sookie had no way of knowing that. Those around them would assume she was well-trained and the idea had Eric's fangs threatening to drop.

"Turn for me. It's been many years since I've seen those chains worn. It was kind of you to wear them tonight, reminding me of the one who is lost to me." It was as good as a declaration that Robert and Eric would be sharing Sookie's body tonight. Eric's hand twitched, looking for a sword, and then he pulled himself back. This was how things were done. This was his world. Robert's words were meant as a favor, further safeguarding his mate, and Eric shoved his jealousy back into the box his Maker taught him to create, all the while assuring himself this approach was best.

Sookie was saying, "Of course," and Eric could hear both speculation and admiration from those around them as Sookie rotated, her skirt flaring a bit and the chains singing their bright tune. Robert laughed again, "With your permission, Northman," and he took Sookie's hand, raising it to his lips. "Thank you, Mrs. Northman. But I have held the others up too long. We will have time later to…talk."

Eric took Sookie's arm, leading her away. "He seems so charming," Sookie ventured, and then, "Tell me again why he loaned you this jewelry?"

She looked placid, but Sookie's suspicion had been poked. ' _Too clever, my wife!_ ' he thought, but what he said was, "He told me he was fond of the woman who last owned them. It is hard for us to lose someone. Robert didn't explain, but it sounded as if she was lost to age."

"Oh," and Sookie was looking thoughtful. "If he loved her, why didn't he turn her?"

"Vampires don't love," Eric corrected, his voice sharp, too conscious of the eyes and ears around them. "Vampires admire, we possess, but we don't…"

"Love," Sookie finished and he felt her shock, and then her unhappiness.

"Sookie…" he started.

She pulled away from him, "I heard you, Eric. No need to explain."

He took her hand, "It's just… It isn't said," he said quietly, cursing his distraction as he realized his mistake. "Come," and he pulled her arm, looking for a place where they could talk more discretely.

Sookie's smile was slipping, and Eric could feel how his words struck her. He took her into a feeding alcove and shut the curtain before drawing her to him. "We don't say those words," he whispered. "We are what you say, Sookie, we are sharks who feed on our own. To love is to invite an attack. To love is to broadcast a weakness that could be used to bring final death. It is our first lesson."

"So, you can't love me?" Sookie asked.

"I can," Eric found himself saying, "and I do."

It wasn't how he'd intended to tell her, but it was truth and he knew she needed to hear it. Sookie stilled in his arms and he allowed himself the luxury of truly experiencing the happiness he found with her. "I love you, Sookie Northman," he whispered into her hair. "You have conquered me, Älskade, and I am, truly and forever, yours."

They held each other, content, but after a bit, she pulled back so she could look up at him. Her eyes were shining, but they were a dim reflection of the happiness he felt from her. Sookie's body was warm, but the emotions she sent him were a glowing fire. He almost felt alive as wave after wave washed over him and he wondered why he had waited so long to tell her this thing. "You love me," and the tears in her eyes added their scent to the intoxication that was her.

"From the first moment I saw you," he confessed.

"Well," and she pulled herself back, startling him, before she said, "It took you long enough!" She sniffed and her eyes turned teasing, "So, you're sure about this? Not going to take it back?"

How could he explain to her? How could he make her understand what surrendering to this feeling meant, so, instead, he simply leaned down, kissed her forehead, and said, "You are worth it."

"Just remember who said it first," Sookie smiled, and then glanced at the curtain. "We should probably get out there. People will think we're…you know."

"Maybe we should prove them right," and he grinned, content, that if he was doomed, it was with this woman. What did it matter what Fate had in store? All that mattered was this moment with her in his arms.

"Maybe we should dance and save the real dancing for later," she teased, and then she pulled his ear hard, both kissing him, but punishing him, too.

"We can stay for three dances," Eric purred, allowing his fangs to drop.

"We can stay for ten dances," Sookie sassed "and you'll take me for dinner after."

"You ate," Eric frowned.

"Like a bird," Sookie eye-rolled. "I was too nervous. I was so worried about fitting into this dress."

"You are beautiful," Eric told her and he made sure she felt his admiration.

"So are you, Mr. Charming," and she gestured with her chin, "Well, come on. The music sounds good. Show me what you got."

The music was a mixture of DJ and live music. Many older vampires lived in New England, so the dance selections spanned centuries. One minute they danced to the latest song and in the next, waltzed around the floor. When the Mazurka started, Robert tapped Eric on the shoulder. "I apologize," he told Sookie. "I would like to borrow your Bonded for a moment."

Eric escorted Sookie to a couch. He squeezed her hand, "I'll be back." It was his Arnold Schwarzenegger impression.

"Terrible!" Sookie eye-rolled. "You need to give it up! Pam does it better than you!"

Eric and Robert moved a distance before Robert said, "You needn't thank me, unless you would like to truly share her. She is lovely." Robert was watching him and Eric's throat closed, knowing Robert was serious.

When Eric stayed silent, Robert's mouth firmed. "I see. No matter, it wasn't what I wished to talk about. I heard you are planning to leave tomorrow. I understand why you wish to return home quickly," and Robert glanced toward the sofa. Eric knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help his eyes from turning toward Sookie as well. When he pulled his eyes away, it was to see Robert watching him. "I was wondering if you might be willing to consider remaining a little longer, Sheriff. I have a job that requires your special skills."

"A job?" Eric asked.

"Well, part job, part training. You see, I have taken on two new Sheriffs. The population in my kingdom has expanded and we are experiencing…growing pains. You could be based here in Boston if you wish, or New York. Most of the unrest is there. It's understandable. The City is so alive, it breeds opportunities."

"What kinds of opportunities?" Eric was listening, but he also shifted a fraction so he could keep Sookie in view. She was sitting alone. After the show he and Robert had put on this evening, no one would approach her without permission. When he set his personal feelings aside, Eric had to admire the strategy. Sookie was safe, the chains acting as effectively as any fence. No one would talk to her and no one would question her oddness. It was perfect, except it wasn't.

"Blood selling," Robert said. "Younger vampires, mostly. We think they are capturing our own kind or, worse, making vampires to use as blood slaves."

That captured Eric's attention. The idea of enslaving their own and selling the sacred blood struck deep. "How sure are you?"

"These abominations need to be caught and ended," Robert told him. "You could do that and train my new Sheriffs in the process. You know how these things are done. I will pay you, of course, and your Bonded would be welcome here," Robert's eyes seemed to warm and Eric almost shuddered as the King's fangs dropped. "She is quite enchanting," he hissed through his teeth.

"Yes," and Eric shifted his eyes back, "Sookie…" and he found himself looking at an empty sofa. "Where?" and he looked around. She was nowhere. He closed his eyes, searching for her. When he picked up her essence, he turned his head, opening his eyes to see the doors. "I'm sorry," he stammered, "Excuse me."

It took everything not to move with vampire speed. Sookie was upset and she was walking. He could almost see her leaving the hotel. She was outside and as soon as he could, Eric used his speed to close the distance between them.

Sookie was walking down the sidewalk in the wrong direction. She was looking to the street, trying to signal a taxi. "What are you doing?" Eric demanded. He was already upset, so the words may have come out more yell than ask.

"I don't care what you call me!" Sookie rounded on him, her chin up and her hands fisted. "You are a bastard and I don't want to be anywhere near you!"

"What are you talking about?" Eric asked, but he knew. Someone had said something.

"What is it you love about me, Eric? My tits? Or is it that I'm so stupid that I believe the shit you say?" She turned away from him again, waving to another taxi, who passed them by.

"Sookie, just tell me what happened." Eric touched her arm, but she jerked away from him.

"Why? So you can twist it to make it sound like I didn't understand what people were saying? Or maybe you want to explain how you really respect me, but you still think I'm some pass-around toy?" He could feel her anger, but he could also feel her pain. It was like an arrow through him.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"What does it matter?" she huffed, and then rounded on him, "Or is it because I'm supposed to get permission from you? Well, you know what you can do with that? You can kiss my ass!"

Sookie stepped off the curb, stepping between the cars. She held out her arm again, her eyes on the streaming traffic. She didn't see the car swerve and Eric watched, helpless, as she flew into the air, a red bird flying through lamp-lit skies.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"The ambulance is on its way," Robert's guards were pushing back by-standers. It would be a special ambulance, one that would transport them to a supe-friendly facility.

"Robert is aware of the situation," another guard hissed. "He is concerned and tells you that everything will be ready for your arrival."

Eric knew they were talking about having things prepared so he could turn Sookie. It was assumed. She was his Bonded, she was injured; it was the honorable thing to do. Eric wasn't sure how he would explain it. What excuse could he give that wouldn't betray his real feelings? Niall Brigant forbid it? He didn't wish her as his child? None of those reasons would convince anyone. There was only one reason. Sookie didn't wish it and he loved her too greatly to defy her wishes.

It was possible things weren't so dire. She was still, too still, but he could hear her heart beating. The thought of her heart stopping caused his chest to tighten. ' _I should have pressed you_ ,' he thought, looking down at her still face. ' _I should have argued until you allowed me the possibility of making you vampire_.' Speaking to the guards, he commanded, "Give us some privacy."

The guards pressed close, trying to shield him from the curious humans surrounding them. Eric took the chance, biting his wrist and pressing it to her mouth. He massaged Sookie's throat, willing her to swallow, but she didn't. He could only hope some part of him had slipped into her. He could barely feel her. "Sookie," he called to her again, using both voice and Bond, but there was no response.

The wail of the siren was getting closer. Human police appeared and they were taking over crowd control, starting to push Robert's guards aside. Fortunately, the ambulance arrived, and the Were attendants pushed through the blue cordon, their uniforms making everyone believe they were as they appeared.

"With your permission," one whispered, and Eric leaned back. He clenched his jaw as the man touched his Sookie, pressing fingers to her neck and lifting her eyelids. "Unresponsive," he told his partner.

"Get the gurney over here," another shouted.

"Did you get blood into her?" another whispered in Eric's ear.

"Maybe," Eric replied.

"We'll handle it once we have her inside," Eric was assured while the stretcher was rolled over. It was all for show. Eric was perfectly capable of lifting and carrying her, but it wouldn't fit with what people expected. Instead, he stood back, allowing the two Weres to lift his mate onto the wheeled cart. Eric refused to release Sookie's hand, moving so he wouldn't impede the Weres, but not losing contact with her, either. For some reason, Eric felt that if he wasn't touching her, she would be lost to him. It wasn't reasonable, but he couldn't shake the feeling.

As soon as they were inside the back of the ambulance, one of the attendants said, "I'm going to run a line between you. Can you feel her? Hear her?"

"No," Eric shook his head. "I can hear her heartbeat. It's fast, but she, my bonded, is missing."

The other attendant placed an oxygen mask over Sookie's mouth and Eric started to worry. "Eyes are blown," he said, his tone professional as he flashed his penlight in first one eye and then the other.

"How long before you got blood into her?" Eric felt the prick of the needle. He watched his blood flow down the tube and into Sookie arm. "How long?" the attendant asked again.

"I'm not sure she got any," Eric repeated.

"Head injury," the other said. "Even if she didn't get any before, your blood should help stop the swelling."

Eric could see faint bruising beginning to show on his Lover's face. Sookie was still and, for the first time, he noticed her shoulder was scraped and bloody. "How far away is your facility?" Eric asked.

"Other side of town," the Were next to him answered. "It shouldn't take long, this time of night." He was pressing sensors to Sookie's shoulders and head. In answer to Eric's questioning look, he said, "Helps detect if she's going into arrest."

"But she shouldn't now," Eric said more confidently than he felt. "She has my blood in her."

"Hard to know with head injuries," the other Were said.

"Sookie!" Eric leaned over, calling to her. A drop of blood fell on her face and Eric realized it was his own tear.

The ambulance slowed, then stopped with a bump. The doors flew open and another tall Were stepped in. "I'm Doctor John Bellweather," he told Eric, but his eyes were on Sookie. "What do we have?"

The Weres who had ridden with them recited numbers and observations, and the Were doctor's hands moved everywhere. He disconnected the bloodline and held up Sookie's arm for Eric to lick. Eric realized the Doctor hadn't asked his permission to touch his Bonded and as soon as he thought it, Eric felt shame. What did it matter? What did any of it matter? The world as he knew it was upside down. None of the rules applied.

"Did you hear me, Mr. Northman? We have ground prepared in the back." The Doctor was staring at him and Eric realized he must have been talking for some time.

"I won't turn her," Eric muttered. He could see the shock on the Weres' faces. "She didn't wish it," he explained. "I won't do it."

Doctor Bellweather's expression was grave, "The numbers aren't good. There's no guarantee. You're sure she'll recover?"

Eric couldn't say it. He looked at the hand he still held and shook his head. He understood the Doctor's worry. Sookie wasn't quite human. Her disappearance would be difficult to explain, but her death might include retribution as well. The Doctor was worried trouble would come to his facility. "I will take responsibility for this," Eric told him.

"I see," and the Doctor looked to those waiting outside. "As long as no one's going to blame us," and then he turned to the other Weres, "Come on, let's get her inside."

This time Eric had to let Sookie's hand go. All this time he had touched her and the loss left him so cold. "You've given her blood," the Doctor was trying to sound positive. "Her heartbeat has improved and her swelling could be worse. She might stand a better chance if you were to stay with her for as long as you can. There are light tight rooms here. We will place her in one to make it more convenient for you."

Eric shook his head, "No," he groaned. "Place her where the sun will touch her. She loves the light…" and he couldn't speak again. Pam had warned him, but he hadn't listened, and now Sookie was lying close to death. He failed her and he was filled with self-loathing. He realized as he followed her into the warehouse that the last time he'd felt this way was after he had failed one of Appius' tests.

'I let her down,' he thought. He followed the Weres into a bare room that held a bed, some machines, and a window. "Please…" he begged the Doctor. Eric hated this feeling. He couldn't make sense of it, but he couldn't escape it, either.

"She will be close to my station," John Bellweather assured the vampire. "Nothing will happen without my being aware. If she does awaken during your rest, I will watch over her."

Once Sookie was settled, more machines were brought in and sensors re-attached. "You'll want to donate, of course," the Doctor told Eric. When Eric reared back, the Doctor explained, "For her. We can run your blood into her at regular intervals. It might help." When the initial flurry of activity stopped, the Doctor asked, "Do you need to feed from her?"

"I promised," Eric said to Sookie, but then gathered himself to look at the Doctor, "No, it is not necessary."

"But you promised," the Doctor smiled. Eric examined the Were's face for some sign of derision, but found none. "It's okay, Mr. Northman, yes, I know who you are. We can have small amounts of blood drawn from her throughout the day. It may actually help her to absorb your own faster."

"If it will help her," Eric nodded. "Why doesn't she wake?"

"She's going to have a scan in a few minutes," the Were told him. "The room is being prepared. You see this bruise?" and he touched a slightly discolored area on Sookie's forehead. "Her pupils are dilated and nonreactive to light. She may be bleeding internally," and the doctor stroked Sookie's forehead, "here. If there is brain swelling, it would explain her not waking."

"But, my blood will heal her," Eric said. He said it as if saying the words would make it so.

"What else is she?" and John Bellweather cocked an eyebrow. "I can tell she's not entirely human, but I can't place it."

"Seelie…" Eric offered, and then, thinking of Lars' mother, he added, "Witch…maybe."

The Doctor looked startled, and then asked, "Does she have any Seelie relatives you can reach?" The Doctor asked. "The nearer the relationship, the better."

Eric nodded, "She does. Why?"

"Good," the Doctor nodded, and then added, "The Seelie heal each other. It's remarkable. I've heard of injuries worse than your woman's and contact with kin overcame them. It's what makes them so hard to defeat in battle. They touch each other and regenerate."

' _Niall Brigant!_ ' Eric thought and he felt his balls shrivel. He could imagine the Fae King's reaction to his Granddaughter. Eric's hand hesitated as he considered that Sookie might decide to leave him. The Doctor was staring, so Eric forced his hand to move. He pushed the phone buttons, texting, ' _Sookie's been injured. She needs your help. Please come_.' He hit send, and then brought up Pam's information. ' _Can you come to Boston? I need you_.' He checked his watch. Ireland was only five hours ahead, which meant Pam was already resting.

Niall was not. There was a shimmer, and then a pressure in his ears that made Eric rear back in pain, and the Fae King was there. He was dressed in soft pants and an open shirt. He looked like the most interesting man in the world, except, instead of a beard, he wore a neat ponytail that trailed between his shoulders. "How did this happen?" he asked. He didn't sound angry, but Eric wasn't fooled.

"I failed her," he answered.

"But, I can see you didn't turn her," and Niall looked happier.

Doctor Bellweather's was shocked, his face as pale as if he'd seen a ghost. The Were's eyes were wide and Eric could see he was close to shifting. Eric wasn't sure what animal the Doctor manifested, but he couldn't think it would be good to shift near his patients. "Doctor," Eric said sharply, then "Doctor! This is Sookie's Grandfather, Niall…" 

"Greetings, Prince Brigant," and the Doctor bowed, remembering himself.

Niall glanced at the Doctor and dismissed him just as quickly. He leaned over Sookie and his nose wrinkled. "I truly hope she loves you, Northman," he sniffed. "She reeks of you and I'd hate to think she didn't enjoy the process."

"Can you help her?" Eric asked, ignoring the slight.

Niall took Sookie's slack hand in one of his own and trailed the long, elegant fingers of his other hand across her forehead. "So far…" He said quietly, and then he straightened. "She is badly damaged. What caused this?"

"She was struck by a car," Eric replied.

"And you weren't there to guard her?" Niall was taking less care to hide his growing anger.

"She was…we were… She was walking away from me. We were fighting. She wasn't watching and she stepped into traffic…"

"Was she running away from you?" Niall asked.

"She was angry," Eric confessed, "but I don't think she meant to leave me." Eric looked back at her. She was so pale, "Please!"

"I see," and Niall finally acknowledged the Doctor, "You! We need a bigger bed in here. Arrange it! And some food, wine if you have it."

"I don't think the patient…" the Doctor stammered.

"Not for her, Dog," Niall scoffed, "For me!" Niall threw off his masque, allowing his true face to be seen, and then he dropped his other shields. The room started to fill with soft, golden light. "Northman, you may find the light I bring to become uncomfortable, but if you can withstand it, I may need you," Niall said.

"I'll stay," Eric announced. Dawn was still hours away, but, if he could help, if she might wake, he wanted to be where she could see him.

A crew with a gurney arrived. "Pardon me," the Doctor interrupted, "We're taking her downstairs for scans. It won't take long and it will help us see what's going on."

"It won't be necessary," the Fae Prince sniffed. Another withering look was all it took. The Prince sat in the only comfortable chair and gestured at the small table when the tray of food was brought along with a bottle of wine and a glass. The Prince ate until a bed large enough to accommodate two people was wheeled in and he watched as Sookie was lifted from one bed to the other. A chair was brought in for Eric as well, but Niall snarled, "Take that away. The vampire doesn't need to sit!"

Eric opened his mouth to protest, but stopped. He felt his failure keenly. Standing beside her was the least he could do, so he stepped to the other side of Sookie's bed and laid his hand on her chest. Even in this state, touching her made him feel better.

"I will arrange a blood line," and the Doctor moved to the cabinets on the side of the room.

"She doesn't need that, either," Niall interrupted. "She has everything she needs. Make sure the vampire has a place to go come sunrise. Better yet, post someone outside the door so I can call them if needed." Wiping his hands, he stood. He looked at the Weres standing in the room, and curling his lip, commanded, "Get out!"

"But…" The Doctor's mouth hung open, but Niall's look ended any protests. "Fine. I will post someone outside. The light-tight area is just around the corner," and the Doctor followed the retreating attendants.

As soon as the door closed, Niall glared at Eric, "Help me get her clothes off."

Eric knew better than to protest. He wasn't sure what the Prince had in mind, but he had no doubt Niall would do what was necessary to heal his own blood. As Eric removed her underwear, the Prince started to strip. "What are you doing?" Eric couldn't help it. He had to know.

"We heal best when we are in close contact with our own kind," the Prince told him. In another minute, he was naked and getting onto the bed. He pulled Sookie's still body next to his, wrapping his arms around her and breathing into her face. "There," he sighed.

Eric could see gooseflesh rise on Sookie's arms. The room was cool and he took a blanket to drape over her. "Do you fight often?" the Prince asked. His eyes were closed, his face alongside Sookie's.

"Often," Eric agreed, "but not always. She is…stubborn."

"And so are you," the Prince chuckled. "Perhaps it would be best if you were to lie next to her, too. She seems unsettled. With your bond, it is probably your presence she seeks." Eric moved to the bed, but the Prince added, "Skin to skin is best, Northman," and Eric shed his clothes.

Even with the bigger bed, it was a close squeeze. They turned Sookie on her side so her front was pressed against the Prince and her back to the vampire. "I have to admit, I've never been interested in having you in my bed," Niall said, his bright eyes looking over Sookie's shoulder.

"You are not known for preferring men," Eric answered.

"But I have them from time to time. There is something about a man that satisfies in some way women can't. No, it's not that," and Niall sighed. "It's you."

"I suppose I should be insulted," Eric said, making an effort to hold up his side of the conversation. He wished the Prince would stop talking. He wished Sookie would respond to him, give him some sign, but neither wish was granted. Niall quizzed Eric about their trip to Minnesota and when Eric shared the words of Lars' mother, Niall became more interested.

"Witch," he nodded. "I don't think Adele knew that in Ireland. I would have known."

Eric remained silent. He thought of how he had no clue as to Sookie's abilities until she showed him.

It was almost dawn when Niall exclaimed, "There!" The Prince's attention shifted back to the woman between them. "Can you feel that? She is starting to heal."

Eric reached out, closing his eyes and searching. While he didn't feel her consciousness, there was something about her essence that seemed brighter. "I think so," he acknowledged.

"So, why was my Granddaughter leaving you?" the Prince asked.

"She wasn't leaving me," Eric huffed. "She was angry. I did something foolish." Niall's eyebrow rose, waiting. "I treated her as a pet; dressed her as a pet. I thought it would make things easier at the Summit, fewer questions. Someone must have explained it to her."

"Is that how you see her, Northman? A pet?" and the Prince's eyes narrowed.

"No," and Eric decided. "I love her." To his embarrassment, Eric's voice almost failed him.

"What did you say?" Niall demanded.

"I said, I love her," Eric repeated more clearly.

And Niall Brigant laughed! His glow grew with his humor and the room began to take on that tell-tale sweetness.

"Niall!" Eric gasped, his fangs descending reflexively. It was enough to quell the Fae King's merriment and the scent disappeared at once, to Eric's relief.

"Your Maker would be so disappointed in you!" Niall chuckled.

"Yes," Eric agreed. "He would seek to punish me, which is why it would be best that he never knows."

' _A vampire doesn't love_.' It was one of the cardinal rules of his kind. A vampire protects his own. A vampire defends his progeny. A vampire guards his possessions, but a vampire doesn't love.

It was the first lesson any vampire learned, but not all Makers were as dedicated to teaching their progeny as Appius Livius Ocella.

In their early days together, Appius would throw Eric together with others, encouraging Eric to form friendships, only to kill those companions in front of his progeny. Once he felt certain Eric had learned that lesson, he tempted Eric with lovers, sharing them, showing them affection, until he could see Eric's reluctant attachment forming, so by killing them, he could cement the point.

Even after Appius told Eric he was ready to leave him, still Appius tested his child. Once, when he thought he detected a sign of sentimentality, Appius used his Maker's command to force Eric to use his own hands to destroy those around them. Appius was a stern taskmaster and his lessons included vampires and Fae as well as countless humans.

Eric understood the lesson, even if the process left him loathing himself for centuries. An emotional vampire was a dead vampire. Planning and plotting required detachment. Survival required the willingness to sacrifice all around you, and Appius made sure Eric's heart was hard enough to survive, and Eric had. Even now, Eric's greatest achievement, his child, Pam, had never heard the words Eric had given to Sookie this night. Eric told Pam he was proud of her, he told her she was precious to him, but he never said he loved her.

Niall stared at the vampire for one long moment before saying, "Your Maker is a monster…"

"My Maker is a great vampire!" Eric defended.

"Still, it would be best, as you say, that he not find my Granddaughter," Niall said, confirming Eric's worst fears. After a moment, Niall added, "I really do understand. Loving her Grandmother cost me much. I lost a Granddaughter. I might have lost a kingdom and in the end, she left me."

"Was is worth it?" Eric asked.

"It was," the King smiled. "Every moment."

Eric nodded. "I thought my world was one way. It is not. She…" and he closed his eyes, savoring the feel of Sookie against him, "Sookie changed that. She is a risk I am powerless to refuse. It requires a new kind of courage, one that will take a new way of approaching things."

"I'm not sure why you look so down-hearted, Northman" Niall smirked, "I've never known you to shy away from new things, Eric."

It was the first time in all their long acquaintance that Eric could recall the Seelie calling him by his first name. "This is different," Eric told the Prince. "Like you, this goes against everything I was taught. I will need to learn all over again," and he felt her. It was just a moment, but it was her. He couldn't help smiling, "She is worth it."

"Go to your rest, Northman. Day comes," the Prince announced. Eric could feel it, too, the creep that was the approaching dawn. When Eric lingered, the Prince added, "Don't worry, she'll be here when you rise. I'll see to it."

There was a human standing outside the door, as the Doctor had promised. "This way," she said. Eric's fangs itched, but he decided to go to his day death hungry. He would wait for Sookie. His room was just around the corner, a strong lock on the inside door. Eric dropped his clothes on the chair and grabbed his phone. He activated the locator program that would send Pam his address. Soon, his child would rise and he thought of his new-found resolution. It was a new day. Perhaps, soon, Supes would mainstream, their world of connections that could be no more than partnerships and alliances becoming obsolete. Perhaps he was forging a new path for his kind. "Or, perhaps, this is the beginning of the end for you," he said morosely.

He reached out and she was there. She was still faint, but her presence in the bond was stronger. "I will see you soon, Sookie," he said to the darkness. "I love you," and the words felt both bitter and sweet on his tongue.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie stretched. She felt good and at the same time, feeling good felt all wrong. Her eyes opened and there was a white ceiling above her. She was naked and she turned, looking for Eric. ' _It was all a dream_ ,' she told herself.

But Eric wasn't there. "You're awake," a familiar voice said.

"Grandfather?" Sookie's eyebrows drew together. "Are you the dream?" she asked.

The King laughed, "No, although I've been called that before!" Sookie rolled over. Her Grandfather was sitting beside her. He was dressed in his suit, his cane under his hand. His pale hair was loose around his face, lifting and waving as if a slight breeze was blowing around them. Just seeing him reminded Sookie of looking at the sun. "Welcome back, Granddaughter," he greeted her. "What do you remember? Do you know what city you're in?"

"Boston," Sookie replied, and then wasn't sure. She took a breath to steady herself. It was disconcerting. She thought some more and then stated, "Yes, I am in Boston. We, Eric and me, we went to the King's party."

"Very good," and her Grandfather beamed as if she was a bright child. "The party you remember was the King's Summit, which was last night. Do you remember anything else?" Niall was wearing his Fae face and Sookie automatically slipped her masque to match, wanting to feel as much connection with him as possible.

"Eric," she stammered. "Where's Eric?" She was remembering more now. She remembered arriving at the Summit and she could see herself dancing. Then she remembered sitting by herself and the way the vampires stared at her. She was sitting right there and they talked past her, but about her. She had challenged one, asking a question. She remembered the female vampire's face, how the woman's lip curled. ' _Leashed pets are seen, not heard_ ,' the woman hissed. ' _Northman should have trained you better!_ ' "Leashed?" Sookie said aloud, the pictures playing through her head. " _Chained, then_ ," the woman laughed cruelly. Sookie remembered how angry the woman's words made her. She remembered how angry she was with Eric.

"Your mate hasn't risen yet," Niall was saying. "He will be most pleased you have recovered so well. I hadn't realized…"

Sookie tried to sit up and as she did, a long, sharp pain erupted in her side. "Ow!" she winced.

"Ribs take a while to heal," Niall informed her, "but you have done better than I would have anticipated. By this time tomorrow, you will barely feel any of your injuries." Niall leaned forward as if to stand, "I have done my part to get you started, but feeding from your mate will complete your healing…"

"I'm not feeding from Eric!" Sookie exclaimed. "And don't call him my 'mate.' At the moment, I don't think I'm talking to him at all!" Sookie tried to lever herself up again, but the pain was persistent. Finally, she compromised with her body. Rolling over rather than sitting upright, she asked, "How did I break my ribs?"

"Don't you remember the accident?" and her Grandfather settled back into his chair. "Northman told me you were signaling a cab."

Sookie searched her memories. She thought she remembered voices, maybe lights, but, in truth, everything after the vampire woman was a blur. "Not surprising," Niall said sympathetically when she told him. "You suffered a head injury as well. You may regain those memories in time, or not. Perhaps it's best you don't."

Sookie reached out to take her Grandfather's hand. His fingers were long and pointed and just touching him was like feeling Spring. "Please tell me what happened to me," she sighed.

"Would you like me to get in bed and hold you?" Niall offered.

Sookie had the feeling the Fae had done that already and the idea made her a little uncomfortable. "No, I'm good. This is enough. Do you know what happened? Can you tell me?" she asked again.

"Well, I can only tell you what your vampire told me," Niall sniffed. "It seems you stepped into traffic, Granddaughter. You were fighting with the Northman. He tells me you do that often and so your head was turned. You didn't see the on-coming car. These cities with all their traffic, so dangerous!" Niall patted her hand, and then stroked it. "You should know that you were very damaged when I arrived, Sookie. I would have thought Northman would turn you rather than risk losing you, but he did something I wouldn't have expected. He put your wishes first and he called me."

Sookie took the opportunity to look around. It gave her some time to consider what her Grandfather said. She and Eric had talked about turning her; he'd requested the option in the event that she was severely injured. Granted, she hadn't said yes, but she hadn't exactly said no, either. "Maybe he just doesn't want me to become a vampire," Sookie offered.

"Northman tells me you know how he feels about you," Niall replied and Sookie could hear his disapproval. When she didn't reply, Niall pushed, "Has he? Has he told you what you are to him?"

"You mean that he loves me?" Sookie asked, her voice small. She couldn't look at her Grandfather, "How is that different than Breandan? Breandan told me he loved me too…"

"Do you really think that Rogan's son and the vampire are the same?" Now there was no doubt. The scorn dripped from Niall's tongue, and Sookie felt her quick blush overtake her.

Sookie waved her hand, trying to explain, "It's just…"

"You do him an injustice, Sookie," Niall continued to scold. "I have my issues with your mate, but the Northman is a man of honor. He stands by his word. Breandan Brigant was a child and no matter how old he grew, he would have always been a child. I trust you know the difference."

"He let those vampires think I was some chained pet," Sookie protested, her chin jutting.

"He disguised you in a way that would keep his own kind from molesting you," Niall countered. "He should have explained it to you, but it was crafty."

Sookie's hands fisted, "No woman should be chained…"

"There is right, there is wrong, and there's the way things are," Niall huffed. "He did his best to take you into a dangerous place and keep you safe. I would have preferred he not take you at all, particularly now that I see how your childish reactions have made things worse." Niall sat back, staring at Sookie's stricken face, "But, how could he?" he said, as if to himself. "He loves you. He fights for every second he can spend with you, preferring you by his side in all things, even if it places him in danger."

Sunlight was streaming in the window. Outside, Sookie could see a tall, industrial building. "Maybe," she conceded, "but in the end, he left me here..."

"Do you really believe him so unworthy of you?" Niall didn't really look curious. If Sookie had to put a finger on it, she might have said disappointed. "Of course, he is here. He could have had you placed in a light-tight room, but he wished you to wake to the sun."

"He did?" and Sookie felt ashamed. "Where is he?" she asked and she closed her eyes, reaching for him.

"Let him rest, Granddaughter," Niall told her. "He stayed until the last moment. He was here all night, holding you, offering his blood." Sookie sat back, and Niall nodded. "I can't explain to you the courage it takes to set aside all your beliefs for one person. I did that once, for your Grandmother."

"But, how can I trust that? How do I know if I should believe him?" Sookie asked. She wanted to believe what Niall was telling her, but she'd believed so many things before; things Breandan told her, things her Mother told her, things Eric told her, only to find out they weren't entirely true.

"If you ask a test of him, he will grant it," Niall told her, "but I warn you, Granddaughter. My Adele asked a test of me, a proof of my love, and I gave it to her. In the end, it cost us everything." Sookie looked at the Seelie ruler, and although he didn't say it, she knew he was talking about her Father.

"Vampires don't change, Sookie. Once they are transformed, that is how they stay forever, but, somehow, you have changed Eric Northman." Niall stood now, "Be mindful of the great power you have over him, Sookie. Be mindful of what demands you place on him, because he will try to give you all you ask."

"I don't know if this is going to work," and Sookie bit her lip.

"If you truly wish to leave him, I will find you safe harbor," Niall told her, leaning down to kiss her forehead, "but it would be my advice that you remain with him. I sense great things ahead, as long as you are willing to give him as much as he gives you."

There was a strange pressure, and then a flash and her Grandfather was gone. In that next moment, Sookie felt Eric, joyful and anxious. ' _Älskade,'_ she thought and opening her arms, turned her eyes toward the door.


	37. Chapter 36 - Wings

**Chapter 36 – Wings**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

He was closer and then, the door opened, and he was there. His eyes were hungry and his fangs extended. Eric, standing in the door, looked like every vampire movie Sookie had ever seen, but she wasn't afraid, not for one second.

"You're well!" he sighed, and he flew, literally flew, to her.

"I was afraid," he whispered. She was wrapped in his arms so quickly, she didn't have time to return the favor. "You are back. I can feel you. Sookie…" and he pressed her closer.

"Ow!" Ribs protested. A place in her back protested, too.

Eric's response was immediate. His arms flew open as quickly as they'd enveloped her and she dropped back against the pillows, making all her hurts protest anew. "I've hurt you!" he exclaimed.

"And you've done it again!" but Sookie couldn't be angry with him. "Slow down, Big Guy, I'm right here, I'm just a little tender." She laid her hand against his cool cheek and said, "Let's say we try this again, only human speed this time."

Eric found the button to her bed and raised it. "Make room," he grinned, and then he slid his way onto the bed beside her. He eased one long arm under, and then waited for Sookie to move toward him. Wiggling into position involved a series of groans and grunts, but eventually she was comfortable, and Eric brought his other arm to rest over her clasped hands. He turned his head, burying his nose in her hair, "You are restored."

There was something about the sound of his voice, and Sookie tilted her head up to look at him. "What's wrong with your eyes?" she asked. "Were you in an accident, too?"

"No," and he chuckled. "I wasn't injured."

"But, you're bleeding!" and Sookie started to lift her hand to touch the blood drop on Eric's cheek, even though it hurt to raise her arm.

"It's normal," Eric assured her. "It happens sometimes when I'm under great stress."

"Okay," but Sookie was pretty sure there was more to it. She turned her head against his chest, "You definitely need to eat and after that, we're going to talk about what happened."

"I should probably feed elsewhere," Eric said above her. "You are still not…"

"I can't believe you're already arguing with me!" Sookie growled. "Just because I'm happy to see you doesn't mean everything is all great and cozy between us. You put a leash on me! Eric! I can't begin to tell you how many ways that's wrong! I mean, fun in the bedroom is one thing, but introducing me to all your friends…"

"They aren't my friends," Eric corrected. "They are… Robert is a King, not an ally, and his Court has no one left that I consider a friend."

Sookie considered that for a minute. "Niall told me that going to the Summit was dangerous, that he wouldn't have taken me."

"I had no choice," Eric replied, confirming what Sookie had heard. "What has your Doctor told you?" he asked in the next minute.

"I haven't seen a Doctor," Sookie replied. It hadn't occurred to her until Eric said it. "Niall just left. Maybe he scared everyone away." Eric looked toward the door and shifted, as if to get up. "Don't!" and Sookie grabbed his hand.

"I will find the Doctor, see what he says…" Eric protested.

"About what? I feel fine," Sookie huffed, "Well, aside from the aches and pains, but that's ribs. Grandfather said by tomorrow I won't feel a thing." She didn't add that the Fae Prince had said drinking from Eric would be needed. Instead, she focused on the fine whine of tension she was receiving from the vampire beside her.

"I mean it, Eric. You're hungry. I know what that feels like, and you are!" She plucked at his shirt and when he stared at her, his eyes stormy, she smiled extra-perky. "Come on, you know you want to!" and cocked her head to the side.

"And you are not angry with me?" Eric asked.

"Of course, I am," Sookie corrected him, "but that doesn't mean I'm going to deny you what you need," and it occurred to her that she needed something, too. Running her hand up his shirt, she slipped her fingers inside, touching his skin.

His eyes flared and he pulled back. "You are not healed," he protested again. "I will get your Doctor."

"You will do as I say," Sookie snapped. "You had it your way last night and look where we are." She looked away, "I can't explain it, Eric, but I need this. I need to reconnect with you. There are things I need to say, but I can't say them until…"

"I love you," he said. It was in his eyes and through the bond between them. His lips were on hers and her breath caught. "Did I hurt you?" and he pulled back again.

"Stop it!" Sookie panted. "Put the bed down!"

Eric licked his lips. He stroked her leg as they waited for the motor to finish lowering the top part of the bed. "You are sure…" and Sookie took his hand and pulled it toward her center.

"Get busy!" she ordered.

Before last night, Eric would have given her that pirate smirk. He would have teased and tortured, but, tonight, he touched her with reverence. He watched her, truly watched her. When he stroked past that place within her that make her breath hitch, he smiled and licked his lips again. "Yes," he hissed, and added his thumb, tapping her clit while he twisted fingers, waiting for her voice to join her breathing.

When that happened, he added lips, tracing the contours of her face. He rubbed his nose along her cheek and his lips along her brow. "Min hustru," he breathed across her face. Sookie wanted to arch, but moving against Eric's fingers, pushing into him, hurt. "Don't move," he whispered in her ear, then followed his words with his tongue. "I will take care of you."

He pulled her leg up so her foot was against the sheets. "I wish to be in you…"

"Yes!" she answered.

He was breathing now, matching her rhythm, one hand busy while the other opened his pants. His eyes blazed, burning her with their intensity. "I will try not to hurt you," he told her.

"Too late. Get on with it!" Sookie told him.

"So demanding!" he smiled, but all trace of humor disappeared as he entered her. "Yes!" he sighed, "This is right. This is best."

He started slow. Sookie could tell he was checking, his mind standing in front of his desire, preventing himself from becoming wholly lost in the act. He was good, he was always so good, but what Sookie needed was more than the physical sensation. There was something that happened between them when they achieved orgasm together, a joining. She figured her battered body would make her regret it later, but now, she needed him with her. She squeezed her inner passage, and then, pulling herself up, she bit him. As his blood hit her tongue, she pushed her need, her lust, toward him.

She could see his neck arch back and his fangs extend in her peripheral. His hips snapped forward, and then again. He groaned and he began to move more quickly. When she faltered in meeting him, his hands swept under her, lifting her, opening her so he could go deeper. She squeezed again, and he roared. He was speaking in another language, words spilling from him, and then he leaned over, biting her, stroking once, and then again. Sookie could feel him pulsing and she bit him once more, sinking her teeth deep, drinking, her eyes closed, feeling him rush through her.

When his skin became whole under her mouth, she let her head drop back to find him staring at her. His mouth was bloody and in the next moment, he kissed her, and began moving within her again.

When he came this time, Sookie could feel his uncertainty. He rolled away from her, but, instead of wrapping her in his arms, he cuddled lower, resting his head below her belly. He turned his lips to her, kissing her skin, and she ran her fingers through his hair, loving the feel of him. "You should have told me why I was dressed that way," she told him.

"That's what Pam said," he replied.

Sookie's fingers stilled, "So, you told Pam, but you didn't tell me?" She felt insulted, but it took her a moment to determine exactly why. "You trust Pam," she mused, "and you don't trust me."

"I don't know you," and Eric shrugged.

Sookie felt the breath leave her. He was right. They knew so little about each other, but in other ways, they knew everything there was. "Ouch," Sookie said aloud.

Eric's head raised, "You are injured?"

He looked stricken and Sookie rolled her eyes, "Do I feel injured to you?"

He frowned, thinking, "No, no more than before…maybe less. But you said…"

"It's an expression, Eric. It means that what you said was hurtful, even if it is true." Eric seemed content with her explanation, lowering his head back to rest on her. "So," Sookie said, "If you don't know me, doesn't that mean you have no reason not to trust me?"

She could feel him smiling. "Clever wife," and he kissed her belly. "What I find is that it is safer to assume everyone is untrustworthy until they prove otherwise."

"Well," and Sookie tugged his hair, "Back at ya! Guess I shouldn't trust you either, if that's the way you see it."

"But you should…" and Eric sat up to look at her. "I am pledged to protect you."

"And I'm pledged to do the same," Sookie pointed out. "How does it feel?"

"Not good," he conceded. "None of this is good," and he gestured at the room around them.

"Well, if you'd trusted me, we probably wouldn't have ended up here," Sookie pointed out.

"If you'd trusted me, this wouldn't have happened," Eric countered.

"Well, I guess that's a lesson for both of us," Sookie replied, trying to smooth the sudden flare of conflict between them. Eric settled, and so did she. Sookie looked out the window, wondering how far they were from the city. She could see the buildings across the way, but there was very little street noise. "I guess I was pretty bad off last night," she said out loud.

"I thought I would lose you," Eric whispered into her lap. He stroked her leg, even as Sookie stilled under him.

"Why didn't you turn me, Eric?" Sookie asked. "If you thought I was going to die, why didn't you?"

"You didn't wish it," he replied, still not looking at her.

"Oh," and Sookie acknowledged it was where they'd left things. "Well, if it's a choice between life and…" and she thought about it. She thought about what Eric's life was, and the lives of the vampires she'd met. She thought about Niall and Claudine and what it might be like to go on forever. "I think we should discuss it," she said instead. "I don't want to die, but I really need to think about what living forever would mean. I'm not sure it would suit me."

"I'm not sure it would suit you either," Eric told her and he shifted, joining her on the pillows so he could look into her face. "You are a creature of day. I think that finding yourself always in darkness would make you unhappy."

' _He doesn't want me_ ,' the insecure voice within her cried, but it was overcome by the sadness she felt from him. "Why do you say that?" she asked.

"You would miss the sun," he said. He was looking at her, his eyes everywhere. He stroked her hair back from her face as he continued, "You are warm, so that would change. You would like the sharpness of smells, but you would miss seeing birds and the shadow of clouds. And you would be my child. I would have the power of a Maker to command you, in fact, it would be my duty to do so. There are many lessons to becoming vampire, Sookie, and you would need to change to survive. You would hate that," and he kissed her. "So would I."

"You're saying you like fighting with me?" Sookie chuckled.

"And how you defy me," he grinned back, "and how you have a mind of your own. I would not want to be forced to train any part of that from you."

It was hard not to feel flattered. "But, that means that someday, I die," Sookie pointed out.

"Yes," Eric answered.

There was something there, something elusive. "What does that mean for you?" Sookie asked. "I remember you saying something about how the bond will affect you. I mean, you'll miss me, but…"

"I will follow you." He smiled and Sookie could feel his absolute acceptance of his words.

"What does that mean, exactly?" she asked, warning alarms sounding in her head.

"The day you are no more," Eric traced her lips with his fingers, "I will also meet my final death. I have been thinking on this, why Fate brought you to me. I have lived long and played the game better than most. Even if I didn't love you, Sookie, I would feel a great loss when you cease. The bond twines us, every day closer, aligning us so we are able to fight as one." He grinned, "And I intend that you should live a long life beside me, but on the day you are taken, I will come with you. Another adventure we will share."

"Well, Eric," and Sookie managed to pull away a little, "That is just total bullshit!" and Sookie didn't need the bond to interpret Eric's surprise. "What did you think? Did you think I'd be flattered by that? Well, I'm not!" Sookie's eyes narrowed and her chin jutted forward. "What do you think love is about, anyway? Some suicidal death pact? You have some really fucked up ideas, Buster!"

"Why do you call me, 'Buster'?" Eric's mouth was open and he seemed to be in shock.

Sookie wasn't having it. She poked him in the chest, emphasizing her words, "If you think I'm okay with that, you're crazy!" she railed. "You are Eric Northman! You are a thousand years old and I'm not even a fraction of that, but somehow, I'm so terrible that I'm going to be the end of you? That's crap!" Eric was starting to feel insulted, but Sookie wasn't done. "There is no way I'm going to make it okay for you to commit some kind of Romeo suicide, no way!"

"The Gods…" Eric interrupted.

"…Can kiss my ass!" Sookie finished. She grabbed his hand, "This? This is real, Eric, not some flimsy storybook fate. You want to believe in your gods? Go ahead, but this is what I believe in; flesh and bone and us. You said it yourself. We are something the world has never seen before and we make our own rules, you and me! There is no fate! We make our own reality, every day, fighting and kissing and screwing up together."

Angry tears sprang in her eyes, "Or not. Eric, if you think that our being together dooms you, then let's call it all off now. There is no way that I could be part of your end! Don't you see?" and she leaned forward to kiss him. "I love you. I love you in a whole heart kind of way and that means that even if I need to give you up to save you, I will!"

"Sookie…" he ran his thumb over her lips.

"You are amazing, even when you're an asshole. It makes me feel better just knowing that there will always be you," and she smiled for him.

"And for me, there will only be you," he replied. His eyes shifted, "So easy to say these words now. They have been asked from me, many times, by those who would claim me, but they only fit you," and he focused on her, his gaze sharp.

"Don't go all mushy on me, Northman," Sookie laughed.

"Your ribs?" he asked. "Do they still hurt?"

"They should. After all the foolishness we've been up to, everything should be screaming, but I feel fine. That magic blood of yours seems to have done the trick!" Sookie told him and she stretched to illustrate the point.

"I should find the Doctor," Eric sniffed. "We should return to our hotel. Anubis has a plane in Boston. They could fly us home tomorrow."

"In the morning?" Sookie asked. "Would you be…you know, resting?"

"I don't wish to delay. Why? You would have us wait for night?" Eric asked in return. "We should not wait," he rushed on. "I am not easy here. There are dangers, and too few allies to watch over you. I confess, I was not prepared for this," and Sookie figured out that 'this' meant the two of them together.

"Sorry I don't fit into your calculations," Sookie sighed. "Look, I'm ready to get back into clothes again, too. Why don't you go find whoever around here can give me my walking papers, and find me something to wear. We can figure out our next move when we get back to Grave House," and Sookie giggled. "Really? Grave House? Someone couldn't come up with a better name?"

"I think it's clever," and Eric smirked, looking more like his old, badass self.

Sookie couldn't help looking at the door and, for a moment, she had a vision of people standing on the other side, their ears pressed against the surface. She looked at Eric, and he was staring at the door, too. Shaking off the feeling, Sookie sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, "See? Good as new. Let's get going."

Eric left and soon returned with a pair of scrubs. The pants were too long and Sookie had to hold up the waist, but they were able to leave the warehouse. There was a tall Were standing at the door as they left. "Thank you, Doctor Bellweather," Eric said. Sookie was about to say something when she felt an unpleasant buzz in her head.

"You don't have a clear recollection of when we left," Eric was saying and Sookie saw the Doctor's eyes glaze over just a bit.

"Why did you do that?" she asked as they stepped outside.

"Habit," Eric answered, then gathered her in his arms and launched into the sky.

"Do you know where we're going?" Sookie couldn't help looking at the tops of the buildings as they glided through the night sky.

"I have a general idea," Eric answered. He maneuvered them so that they didn't fly close to taller buildings. At one point, they looped far to the right, almost over the harbor, and then they angled back into the city, landing in an alley. "Come," and Eric took her hand, leading her to the sidewalk.

They were only steps away from their hotel and as they walked into the lobby, Jeffrey, the concierge emerged. "Thank goodness, Mr. Northman," and he nodded at Sookie, "Mrs. Northman. I was told there was a problem, but here you are. Let me open the door to your room. Do you need another key?"

Jeffrey was bustling down the corridor and then up the flight of stairs. When they reached the staircase, Eric swooped Sookie back up into his arms. "What in the world!" Sookie exclaimed, and then, rightly interpreting, she laid her hand against Eric's cheek, "I'm okay, really!"

"Maybe I just like the feeling of you in my arms," he sassed. He said it in that tone that implied he didn't really mean it, but Sookie could feel his sincerity. She thought of the energy it must take Eric every day to be so guarded, hiding his feelings and second guessing every response whenever others were near.

"Well, doesn't mean I won't take advantage of it, then," Sookie sassed back, joining him in pretending.

Jeffrey opened the door and then stepped back, allowing them to precede him. "You've had inquiries from a special person," he told Eric. "I have been asked to call his home as soon as you return."

"Robert," Eric informed Sookie, and then, "Thank you, Jeffrey. Please let Robert know that we are here and intend to remain here the rest of the evening. I will call him myself."

"Thank you, Mr. Northman," and Jeffrey bowed, clearly relieved. "So glad to see you looking well," he said to Sookie, removing any doubt that gossip had informed Boston about her mishap.

"I should call him," Eric said as soon as the door closed. He looked annoyed and when Sookie questioned, he explained, "I should have glamoured the Doctor and the staff earlier. I would have, but…" and he smiled, touching her hair, "I was distracted."

"Suppose you could call for some food, first?" Sookie asked. She ate a light lunch with Niall, but that had been many hours ago and her stomach was starting to protest.

Eric pointed to the house phone, "Call Jeffrey. Tell him to send up a full meal, anything you like," and he walked into the bedroom, pushing a button on his phone.

Sookie quickly settled on steak. It wasn't something she ate often, but the idea appealed. When Jeffrey suggested Boston cream pie, she quickly agreed to that, too. As she hung up the phone, Eric walked back into the sitting area, "What did you do?" he asked. "You are feeling guilty, but happy at the same time."

"Dessert," she grinned. "A really rich one!"

"Good." She could tell Eric was not entirely happy, but he covered it well. "There will be time," he said, and then he leaned over and sniffed. "I will run a bath so you can wash the smells from you."

"Could have stopped at 'run a bath,'" Sookie informed him. "Sounded romantic, until you threw in the part about me stinking."

"You wish for more romance?" Eric laughed.

"I just ordered myself a big piece of chocolate sex," Sookie shrugged. "Why wouldn't I go whole hog and want the rest?"

"Bath first," he scolded, but as he turned to the bathroom, he wiggled his lovely butt and sashayed through the bedroom, glancing at her over his shoulder to make sure she was watching.

"Like I could scrape my eyes off that!" Sookie sighed.

The bathtub was large enough for both of them and Eric took on the role of servant, undressing her, pulling her hair back into a braid, his long fingers stroking across the white ridge of scar tissue she carried from where he'd bitten the iron from her. When he turned off the water, he removed his own clothes so fast it was just a blur. He stepped into the tub and offered her his hand, settling her so that she lay against him. He picked up a washcloth and poured perfumed oil onto it, then set to scrubbing her back. "Too hard?" he asked.

"Not hardly," Sookie sighed, letting her eyes close. "Feels like heaven."

Eric shifted and she could feel his hard length against her back, so she wiggled against him, but he was having none of it. "Stop it, Sookie!" he growled. "Robert will be here soon and he will wish to see you."

"Why?" Sookie shrugged, moving back just a little and wiggling again, but Eric's hands clamped down, stopping her. "What does he care?"

"He became interested in you," Eric sighed. "He…" and Eric hesitated, covering his annoyance by pushing her forward, and leaning her back to wet her hair. When she stared at him, letting him know she wasn't letting him off the hook, he brought her upright, poured shampoo in her hair, and told her, "He wished me to share you."

"Share me?" and Sookie twisted to look at Eric. "Share me?" she repeated, letting him know by her tone that she understood what he meant. "Does that happen often?"

Eric wasn't meeting her eyes, "With pledged vampires, both partners would need to consent, but, yes, it is done."

"But, you know I wouldn't agree, so why are we having this conversation?" Sookie pressed.

"Robert is a King," Eric replied.

"So, that gives him the ability to pressure you," Sookie replied, "Because you're only a Sheriff, so if he asks for me as a favor…"

"It is not required," Eric snapped. "And even if you were willing…"

"Which I'm not!" Sookie added.

Eric looked directly into her eyes, "Neither am I, but turning down a King takes finesse."

"I'll simply say I'm not feeling up to it, no matter how flattering the offer. Maybe next time we're in Boston… and then we're never returning," and Sookie smiled. "How would that be?"

"Yes," Eric smiled sadly, "That would satisfy protocol."

"But, you're still not satisfied," Sookie said. She meant it to sound like stating facts, but even she could hear the accusatory tone in her words.

"I wish things were otherwise," Eric told her. "I wish there was no need to explain or give excuses."

"This can't be the first time you've faced this," Sookie pressed. "You've had companionship in the past. Not pledged or whatever, but women you've been fond of, right?" When Eric didn't respond, she asked, "What did you do then?"

Eric was scrubbing her again, clearly unwilling to talk about this further. Sookie knew this meant Eric assumed the answer would anger her, and she thought through the possibilities. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "You went along! Did the women know?" and then the second shoe fell, "And you glamoured them so they wouldn't remember! Eric! That's terrible!"

"To give and receive pleasure?" Eric sounded grumpy and his emotions had gone curiously flat. "The only thing that is wrong is how humans think of these things."

"It's about consent," Sookie scolded. "No one should be pressured to perform if they don't want to!" and then she grabbed his hand and made sure he was looking at her, "And you know it! I can feel how bad you feel about even telling me, but those days are behind you, right?"

"You make many demands," Eric replied and he hoisted himself from the tub, leaving Sookie staring open-mouthed.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sookie demanded. She stood up as well, taking the towel he offered. "You want me…"

"No!" Eric answered, and then shook his head, "No, I will not share you, not even with Pam."

"Pam?" Sookie asked, the idea a new one. "Well, thanks, I guess. So, what's the problem with promising? This is between you and me, right…"

"If that is what you mean, then yes, I promise," Eric said quickly, and then turned and walked away.

Sookie's eyes narrowed. Eric was being evasive and she thought it through. Striding after him, she asked, "What am I missing here, Eric? If we are together and you aren't sharing me and I'm not sharing you, what's… is this to do with your job?" The quick stab she felt told her she'd landed on it. "This is something you do as a Sheriff?"

"And procurer," Eric nodded. "I don't fulfill that role often, but it is part of the fealty I owe Sophie-Ann. I agreed before I met you. I am pledged to this arrangement for the next fifty years, unless she releases me." Eric huffed, "And under the circumstances, I don't think our Queen is likely to grant me any concessions. She is angry that her own temper forced our bonding. She is not a great Queen. When she is angry, she blames others. Do you understand?"

"No," Sookie's jaw jutted forward. "No, I don't." Eric was mostly dressed. Sookie opened her mouth to say more, but there was a knock on the door.

"Robert has arrived," and Eric gave Sookie a sharp look. "It would be best if we appeared aligned."

"Of course, I'll back you up!" Sookie growled "You must think I'm a real child!"

Eric moved directly in front of her and kissed her hard. "You are worthy of being a Queen, Älskade; a better Queen than the one we have," and then he was out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

"This isn't over, Northman!" Sookie said under her breath and rushed to finish dressing so she could join him.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Your mate isn't joining us?" Robert glanced toward the bedroom where they could both hear Sookie moving around.

"She will join us shortly," Eric bowed. "Sookie moves more slowly; her injuries. I am sure you understand." Eric answered.

"I see," the King replied, taking one of the armchairs. "Jeffrey tells me she appears fully recovered. I didn't hear the news of your departure from the worthy Doctor Bellweather, so I'm assuming you remembered yourself and glamoured him."

"I was remiss in my attentions to the hospital staff," Eric acknowledged.

"You told the Were that your mate is Seelie, which I knew." Robert stroked the arm of the chair with his sharpened nail, "But you also told the Doctor that she is a witch. I wonder that you didn't think to share that with me."

"I did not seek to hide any aspect of my mate's nature. It is only that this not a certainty," Eric answered. "It may be nothing more than the musings of an old woman," and Eric focused on the King, "While we were in Maude's kingdom, a human woman called Sookie a witch. There is no proof, but Sookie was gravely injured. I provided the Doctor that detail just in case."

"Have you questioned your mate about this?" Robert was looking at Eric and the Viking recognized this conversation had transformed into an interrogation.

"She knows nothing," Eric replied, and then taking the offensive, stated "You are very interested."

Robert stared at Eric, "Witches cause a great deal of trouble here. We watch them closely and we don't underestimate their ability to influence us. If your mate is a witch and you are hiding that…"

"It is not known," Eric repeated, cursing himself again for not taking care of the staff when he first arrived.

"It's not just that," Robert growled. "I understand Niall Brigant showed up at the hospital. He refused any assistance, insisting on healing her without any medical intervention. Your mate was near death, and now she is fumbling about as if nothing happened. You have interesting connections, Eric Northman."

"I can see our presence in your kingdom is unsettling," and Eric bowed. "I will call Anubis…"

"I want to understand your woman's nature," Robert interrupted. "You tell me she is a relation of Brigant, but not that she is so dear that he is willing to appear personally to intervene on her behalf. Your Sookie appears one way, Northman, but what is she, really?"

"Sookie is an asset," Eric used the words he'd used before.

"Is she?" and Robert's eyes drilled into the Viking. "I wonder who is really the asset here," Robert snapped back. "Her, or you?"

Eric drew himself up, "Sookie does not control me!" The words tumbled from his lips. What Robert suggested struck close to both honor and pride. "If my mate is a witch, it is something that is buried deep within her. She is unaware of it and drawing it out would require training and awareness, both of which she is without. Or it may be nothing more than the ramblings of an…"

"Old woman, yes, so you've said," and Robert sat back again. "But you don't really believe that, do you, Northman? If you did, you wouldn't have told the hospital staff about her. And then, you forgot to glamour them. I received updates about her at my palace all night and then all day. Hours you allowed them to run, unfettered, spilling information. They could have been giving your resting place to your enemies."

Robert leaned back in his chair, examining Eric as if he was some new, unpleasant thing. "You are so unlike the vampire I have known all these years. The Eric I knew would have acted quite differently. The Eric I knew was crafty and wise. He was a trusted shield in battle. He didn't make the mistakes of a newborn. How else am I to explain your actions now? Of course, I look to what has changed to try and explain this weakness."

"Being bonded is new for me…" Eric began.

"But others bond, and I don't hear of those mates changing so radically. Perhaps this Seelie mate of yours has placed you under a spell," and Robert watched, expecting Eric to consider his words.

"Sookie is no spell caster," Eric hissed, and then both their heads turned as the subject of their conversation moved toward the bedroom door, and then opened it.

If she'd heard any part of their conversation, Sookie gave no sign. She walked forward, stopping just in front of Robert's chair and executing a decent bow, "Your Majesty." Her voice sounded strained, and when she straightened, she was biting her lip.

Robert's lip quirked. "Do you find me amusing, Mrs. Northman?" he asked.

Sookie took in breath, and her eyes swept to Eric. Her expression turned somber as she read the tension in the room, "No. It's just saying those words. I feel like I've stepped into a fairytale book."

"I see," but Eric could see Robert wasn't amused. "We were just discussing your abilities, Mrs. Northman," he told Sookie. "Your mate seems to think you're a witch."

"Witch?" and Sookie smiled again. "I'd think Eric would have used a different letter at the beginning of that word, but I guess I can see it." Sookie's reaction relaxed, acting as if this was nothing more than banter between friends. "I have some names for him, too. Guess that's not unusual for mar… Well…pledged couples."

"I know you are Seelie, Mrs. Northman," and Robert sat forward, bringing the force of his personality to bear. "More Seelie than was previously reported. Your famous relative's unannounced and unsanctioned intrusion into my kingdom has tongues wagging."

"I don't think he meant anything by it. He came here to help me. I'm sure Grandfather meant to check in first," Sookie replied. She tried to appear contrite, but Sookie didn't quite hide the proud jut of her jaw.

"We both know that's a lie," Robert snarled. "Niall Brigant does what he wishes. What I need to know is what else you are, Sookie Northman?"

Eric could feel Sookie's confusion and nervousness, so he sent her courage. If she failed to answer, Robert would interpret it as dishonesty, but her response was unvarnished and sincere. "I don't know what you mean."

"Are you also a witch?" Robert asked directly.

Sookie's mouth fell open and her eyes went wide before her lips tilted up, "Is this a trick question?" She glanced at Eric and the vampire was afraid she would laugh, misjudging the seriousness of the situation. Fortunately, Sookie seemed to understand his worry. Her face sobered and she turned back to Robert, "Are you telling me there are witches, real ones?"

"Of course, there are witches," Robert huffed.

"Is this about Lars' Mom calling me a witch?" Sookie asked Eric. "You didn't think…" and Sookie couldn't help herself, she eye-rolled. "Jesus, Eric! She was an angry, old woman who was probably pissed off about missing her bedtime TV show to meet people she didn't want to know! I'm sure she meant to call me a bitch, but she was too polite to say the word," and Sookie used air quotes to emphasize 'polite.'

Sookie sighed, "And you thought that meant something? Really?" and Sookie eye-rolled again before turning back to Robert. "I'm new to all of this. Last year, I didn't know any of this existed. Fae and vampires and Seelie were in my books or on television; not real. So, no, I'm no witch. I'm not even really Fae," and Sookie's eyes fell. "I guess I'm not exactly human either, but I'm more human than anything else. I'm just Sookie Stackhouse… Well, Sookie Northman..." and Sookie's arms fell to her sides. "I'm what you see in front of you, nothing more."

"I doubt that," Robert answered. He stood and turned to Eric, "As I said, Northman, I have known you for ages and I have never known you to behave so carelessly. If your Maker…"

"My Maker is a great vampire!" Eric exclaimed.

"Yes," Robert answered, "Yes, he is, and he would doubtless take you back into training were he to hear of what happened here." Robert's eyes swept over Sookie, "And I am sure he would do what was needed to ferret out your other mysteries as well."

Beside him Sookie shuddered, and Eric wondered if she was displaying the deep horror he felt.

Robert drew himself up, "There is too much about this that is unknown. I have my own worries. I don't need more. It would be best if you left now, Northman. Take your mate back to Ireland. Perhaps when you are more yourself, you can return, but until then…" and he bowed.

As he started toward the door, Robert said, "Take care of yourself, Eric. The world has been an interesting place with you in it. I would hate to think that might change," and without another word, the King of New England was gone.

Eric stared at the closed door. "You don't really believe all that, do you?" Sookie asked.

"I need to contact Anubis," Eric replied. He couldn't look at her and Sookie could tell he was shaken. "We need to get packed."

"What?" Sookie asked. "What is it?"

"We need to go now," Eric told her. He pulled out his phone and started texting. "Good, Pam's flight hasn't left. She will arrange things for our return." He looked at where Sookie was standing, "Now, Sookie! We will Uber to Anubis as soon as we're ready."

"I don't understand." Sookie shook her head, but she started walking toward the bedroom.

Eric texted Anubis and within seconds, the emergency number called back. Bumping up his flight time was expensive, but it was arranged. Next, he texted Jeffrey, walking to open the door, but Jeffrey was already in the hall.

"I've heard," the concierge told him. "I have called a private driver, someone I trust." He moved toward the bedroom and subtly moved Sookie out of the way, taking over the packing of their bags. "Your dinner is being packed, Mrs. Northman. You will be able to rewarm it on the plane."

"I don't understand," Sookie repeated, this time tugging at Eric's shirt.

Eric laid his hand over hers, "I'll explain once we're in the air," he told her. "No time now." One suitcase was closed and Eric lifted it. Jeffrey took another sweep of the bathroom before closing the second. Eric placed his hand at Sookie's back and moved her along with him, the concierge following. They swept down the stairs and then Jeffery preceded them to the curb. There was a black car, the door already open, and Sookie was in the back seat and they were moving almost before she knew it.

Eric gestured at the shiny bag on the seat beside her, and she could smell the steak. Her stomach growled. "You will eat soon," Eric whispered. "The airport is only fifteen minutes away, maybe a little longer."

Sookie could feel Eric's worry. He glanced out the windows, his hand holding hers a little too tightly. He relaxed as they drove through the tunnel, but then became wary again as they approached the airport. The black car glided away from the terminals, taking a turn down a dark road that led to hangars and soon enough, they turned next to one that was unmarked except for the now familiar black dog's head. The plane was hooked up to a fuel truck, but the engine was already making noises.

"Good luck," the driver told them as he held the door.

"Your coffin…" Sookie asked.

"It will come later," Eric told her.

"But what if…" and Sookie stopped walking, disorientation turning to panic.

"Not now!" Eric snarled, "We must go!" and he physically lifted her over his shoulder, rushing her up the stairs and into the plane.

The suitcases followed them and the door closed. "My dinner!" Sookie cried, but there was a sound outside. The fuel hose snaked back toward the truck and the plane started to bump forward.

"We will find you something," Eric assured her. He herded her to a seat and when her hands didn't move, buckled her in before turning back to stare out the window.

They lifted off into the night sky before Sookie spoke. "We're on the plane now, Eric. You said you'd explain this once we were here."

"We outstayed our welcome," Eric replied. "Robert withdrew his protection."

"Because of me," Sookie licked her lips. "Maybe it was better when I thought Älskade meant trouble, because that's what I am for you," and she laid her head against Eric's arm.

"This is not about you," Eric lied, but Sookie felt too bad to challenge him.

"What's your Queen going to think about this?" Sookie asked.

Eric smiled, "'Our' Queen will not be pleased. She will send a formal rebuke to Robert. You are under her protection and you were almost killed in his kingdom. She will demand an apology." What Eric didn't say was that Sophie-Ann would blame him for making trouble. Eric sighed.

The flight attendant introduced herself, and then headed into the back to see what was on board that Sookie might be able to eat. She returned after a bit with a bowl of tomato soup and a sandwich that was probably her own. "Thank you," Eric told her.

He waited until Sookie was eating to start rewinding the events of the night of the Summit. He remembered where Sookie stood on the street. He remembered the cars that were passing and he thought about the one that struck her. He remembered where it had been parked on the street and how it pulled forward when she stepped from the sidewalk. Mostly, he remembered how, even though it was night, the headlights never turned on.

Sookie must have felt his frustration, because she turned to him, her sandwich in hand. "Eric?"

"Eat, Älskade," he told her. There would be surveillance footage, but his chances of getting it were slim to none. She smiled at him and his empty chest warmed.

"I love you," she assured him, laying her hand on his arm, and then she pushed, knocking his arm from the armrest and claiming it as her own.

' _Am I spelled?_ ' he asked himself, but as she laughed, he dismissed the idea. ' _No more than any other man who has found his one_ ,' he assured himself and settled back, content to listen to her talk.


	38. Chapter 37 - Crows Come Home

**Chapter 37 – Crows Come Home**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

They'd been back in Ballytyne for three weeks.

Upon their return from Boston, they landed at the airport and raced the sun home. Dawn was just peeping over the horizon when they laid down in Eric's chamber under the stairs. ' _Home!_ ' Sookie thought, and then she thought no more. She hadn't been able to sleep on the plane. She was too keyed up.

Eric was keyed up, too, which wasn't helping. They barely spoke, but it wasn't awkward. They sat quietly at each other's side, holding hands or leaning, always touching. Sookie half-expected to see Pam at the airport, waiting to meet them, but instead it was another professional driver with another black sedan.

Sookie figured she wasn't subtle about craning around, looking, because Eric had chuckled, gathering her against him, saying, "Tomorrow, Sookie. We'll see her tomorrow."

Eric had a new Dayman. Technically, he was Sookie's Dayman, too. His name was Ian. He was Irish. Eric explained that it was easier having someone who was local. For what this job entailed, it was logical to find a person who had connections through family and friends. It made the obtaining of services or goods that Eric needed go through without unnecessary questions. "Fewer complications," Eric explained, emphasizing his words with a wink.

Ian was nice enough. He was young, only a little older than Sookie. He had grown up a few towns over. His sister had introduced him to this world. She had been in a relationship with a vampire from Sophie-Anne's court. It ended amicably enough that Ian, who had been a sharp-eyed teenager at the time, wasn't deterred from seeking a way to continue interacting with the Fae. "I grew up with these stories," he explained to Sookie, the lilt in his speech curling around the syllables. "I can't think of anything better than being a part of them."

Sookie hadn't spent much more than a few hours with Bobby Burnham, Eric's previous Dayman, but it was enough to know that Ian was a vast improvement.

There was a sound from the room next door. With any luck, the final work would be completed today, and the upstairs bedroom would be light-tight enough to pass Eric's inspection. The windows had been taken out and replaced with new ones. They were a special double-pane construction that had blinds encased between them. When the blinds were lowered, they were day-safe. ' _Bullet-proof_ ,' the sales brochure proclaimed. The idea that bullet-proof was a selling point for Eric gave Sookie pause.

There had been a lot that gave Sookie pause since their return from America, and it re-started the conversation between her and Eric about learning more about her skills. Eric was certain she had more power than she knew, and that those skills she did know could be used defensively. Sookie wasn't so sure. True, her scope had expanded. She could do more than pull light. She could move things and construct walls. She could hear the birds more easily; she could even mimic household magics. There were moments she seemed limited only by her imagination, but with each accomplishment, she became more unsettled. The rabbit hole she once imagined was part of stepping into this world where supernatural and normal slid past and over each other was becoming a gaping hole, and Sookie was beginning to believe it would be better to turn away from it and not look back. It's not that it was too frightening, more that it was too tempting.

One thing she and Eric did agree about: They would keep the full bag of tricks she could do from Niall, Claudine, and the rest of Sookie's Seelie relatives. For Eric, it was about being cautious until they understood the nature of Sookie's gifts. For Sookie, it was about trust. "I know I should be grateful," Sookie confessed, "but my gut is telling me that no good would come from telling them and I think I should listen to it."

"I don't think your gifts are Seelie," Eric told her. "I think they are other. I think Inger, the old one, was right."

Sookie sighed and sat back from her laptop remembering that conversation. ' _Am I a witch?'_ she wondered, and then eye-rolled to be even considering the possibility. "Next I'll be looking into pointed hats and brooms!" she growled under her breath.

Eric believed in witches. He explained to her that witches were truly human, but with a different kind of power. "No one knows if they are born with it, or if it is something they learn," Eric explained. "They are secretive about their skills and their nature. It's vexing."

"Like all of you," Sookie pointed out. "You're careful about revealing what you are to humans. Why wouldn't they do the same thing?" and then she'd scoffed, "As if I really believe in them, which I don't!"

Sookie couldn't explain why the idea of witches seemed so far-fetched, but it did. It crossed some line. Sookie could live with the idea of parallel universes where ethereal creatures flitted in and out, but humans with special skills living among them, like some Harry Potter book, was a bridge too far.

Eric accused her of being small-minded and it stung. He scolded her for not being more open to possibilities, which she turned into a sexual innuendo. He'd been willing, leading to an hour of being suspended upside down, and her laughing her head off, but the accusation still tugged.

"I'll think about all of that tomorrow," Sookie sighed aloud, turning her attention back to the columns of figures in front of her. Within a day of their return, Pam had arrived, boxes of papers and flash drives in hand. Sookie's laptop was loaded with a few more programs, passwords were set up, and now she was handling the payroll, accounts receivable, and a handful of other financial transactions for Eric and Pam's business as well as Maryann's. The work wasn't hard, but it was detailed, taking all Sookie's attention.

There were three pubs now open and all were doing well. There was talk of a fourth, and Sookie was asked to set up a shell so that the expenses associated with scouting could be segregated. It ate up all her time, this sorting and assembling of records. Pam had been in charge before, and although Sookie liked her friend, she soon realized Pam was no bookkeeper. The errors were mostly small, but sorting and verifying kept her nose stuck against the computer screen for the better part of two weeks.

Things were better sorted now, and Sookie felt confident poring over the columns and balances. She flicked between spreadsheets again, double checking formulas. There was no doubt. The pub in Carrack was falling behind. Inventory numbers were comparable with the other pubs and the hours were the same. Pam reported the crowds in Carrack might be even larger than their pubs in Slievemore and the one Clancy ran in Niall's kingdom, but the receipts were less. "Someone's stealing," Sookie said aloud.

"Better hope not," Ian's voice said from the door.

Sookie jumped. She hadn't heard his step, but that was understandable with all the construction noise coming from next door. "How's it going?" she asked.

"Well enough." He jerked his chin toward the master bedroom, letting her know he was talking about the renovation work. "They are telling me they should be out in the next hour or so. I think you'll both be pleased with the results." He glanced at the computer, "Pam's books?"

"Eric's, really. Pub business," and Sookie rolled her shoulders.

"That Pam!" Ian chuckled. "She cuts quite the figure." There was something in the way Ian said it that had Sookie staring.

"Pam is very smart," Sookie offered.

"Yes, quite the talker," Ian agreed. "She has a way about her, and that's no joke."

"Her special friend says the same thing," Sookie offered, figuring she'd let Ian know where things stood without exposing Pam's lifestyle.

"Perhaps she needs more special friends," Ian grinned, before adding, "but not really my concern, Mrs. I did want to remind you it's lunch. I was going to take a run into town to pick something up and I could get something for you as well."

Sookie stretched again. She knew this was Eric's doing. Reminding Sookie to eat was one of the many things on Ian's checklist of Dayman duties. "I have a better idea," Sookie sighed. "I made a pasta dish last night for my dinner, but it was too much, so there's leftovers. Why don't I heat it up and you can give me your opinion on my latest attempt at English muffins?"

"You made them yourself?" and Ian's eyes sparkled.

Sometimes Sookie's baking experiments were disastrous. When that happened, she threw the offending objects away before anyone saw. What she did keep was generally pretty good, making Ian an enthusiastic test subject. ' _Good thing you're young_ ,' Sookie thought. The things she baked were full of sugar or meant for jams and jellies. ' _Breakfast treats for my future menu_ ,' she'd explained. ' _For_ w _hen I open my B &B.'_

As Sookie pulled things from the refrigerator, she thought of the large sum of money sitting in her bank account. As promised, Desmond Cataliades sent along the paperwork from her Mother's estate along with a letter. He wrote that her parents had a secret. They'd left money for Jason, but more for Sookie.

It was odd. In all the papers she'd sorted and tallied in those last days of her Mother's life, Michele never mentioned the life insurance policy. ' _I'd almost overlooked it myself_ ,' the attorney wrote when she asked him about it. ' _Your mother was very ill. It's possible, with the nature of her illness, that she didn't remember._ '

Maryann had taken Sookie to a meeting of the B&B association only last week. It confirmed everything she thought, talking with the other owners, hearing their stories. She wanted a B&B of her own, and now, with the estate settled, she had the money she needed to buy one.

Sookie glanced at the picture on the shelf beside the sink. It was the one Sam took last Thanksgiving in Boston. Sookie had folded the photo, hiding Breandan's face before putting it in the frame. Her Mom's face, thin but beautiful, was smiling at a pale version of herself. "Miss you, Mom," she said under her breath. A year. Almost a year now, but it seemed longer. The breath didn't catch in her throat any more when she thought of her mother and her chest didn't tighten. It made Sookie feel disloyal, but it also made it easier to focus on her life now.

Ian had walked past her, heading for the garage. As she set the table, the Dayman returned, holding a bag of dry cleaning and a bouquet of flowers. "Mr. Northman said you were fond of freesia."

Sookie breathed in the perfume and pulled out the card. ' _Mine_ ' it read, followed by Eric's large ' _E_.' She wondered how he did it. "He must have a stack of these he signed at the florists," she said aloud, waving the card at Ian. "Most folks have their cards computer-typed."

"Old-fashioned can be best," Ian replied, walking through with the bag of clothes. He'd hang it in the front hall closet and Sookie would take care of it later. She was pretty sure Ian knew Eric was somewhere on premises, but he'd never hinted that he knew of the room under the stairs.

They were almost finished eating lunch when the contractor came downstairs. "We're done, now, Mrs." he told her, touching his cap.

Sookie followed the contractor back up the stairs, trailed by Ian. The workers were packing up their equipment, folding the protective sheets they'd placed over the furniture, and pulling down their temporary lighting. The contractor handed Sookie the remote. "It's all in the buttons, you see." The shades were programmed to close at a certain time. The remote could hurry that process or override it. "You can rest easy, now. No hurricane is going to break those windows!" he winked.

"I know it's silly," Sookie smiled, sticking to the story they'd concocted to explain their installing security glass. "I'm American, you see, and being this close to the ocean, it just makes me nervous."

"It's a woman's place to worry," the contractor nodded once. He meant it as a compliment, but Sookie struggled to keep her smile in place.

"I'll be headed out as well," Ian announced as they watched the contractors pull away. "I'll be back later with more receipts and such. Any messages?"

"Tell Pam I need to talk with her," Sookie replied. "Ask if she can come out to the house." Sookie could have texted her suspicions about the Carrack bar, but talking in person seemed safer, and she wanted Eric to weigh in as well.

"That I will!" and Ian grinned before sliding behind the wheel of his car. Sookie turned, walking through the garage. She slid her hand over the hatch of her new Hyundai Tucson. It arrived that first week, Ian grinning as he dropped the keys in her hand.

Sookie slowed, looking at her reflection in the glossy black paint. "Coward!" she laughed. Eric purposely arranged to have the car delivered while he rested, figuring, accurately, that once Sookie had time to cool down, she would accept his gift. He'd been right.

She'd fumed and cursed for an hour, but, soon enough, found herself standing in the garage, staring at the car. She'd been unable to resist, sliding behind the wheel, pushing the button that started the engine. It was all too easy, slipping the car into reverse, rolling back, and then into the lane. The car drove like a dream and she smiled, remembering how it purred around the curves, the light flashing as the trees and buildings passed by, giving her freedom from the confines of Ballytyne.

Sookie had pulled into their driveway to find her mate standing within the shade of the open garage. "It's the most popular car in Ireland this year," Eric told her. "Are you pleased?"

"Sneaky vampire!" she'd scolded before adding, "Yes, I love it!" and rewarding him.

It hadn't stopped Sookie from figuring how much it cost, and then designating an account to take in most of the Euros she received from Maryann as a monthly payment. "I won't take it," Eric growled. "You can't pay me back for this!"

"Then we can consider it mad money," Sookie shrugged. "Maybe for a trip to your house in Barbados."

"Our house," Eric corrected, and then set about reminding his mate what else was theirs.

' _I love him_ ,' Sookie thought, walking away from the car and back into the house. It was overcast, which meant Eric could rise if he needed, but she hoped he wouldn't. Rising early cost him. He made light of it, but he couldn't hide the stress that walking in daylight caused. He'd made a point of surprising her a couple times since their return, telling her he couldn't rest one more minute without having her. Being in love was the most miraculous feeling. It made every day better, but it also meant Sookie worried about him in ways she'd never worried about anyone before.

She started to hum as she moved around the kitchen, cleaning up. She closed her eyes and thought about the vacuum upstairs cleaning the floors, removing the smells and signs of the contractors so Eric wouldn't be bothered by it. She wondered if her method was how the Seelie did it. The actual vacuum remained downstairs. It was more of a phantom vacuum she heard. When it was done, the area would be cleaner than if she'd done it herself. She'd have to follow up, removing the last traces of magic, but it seemed a small price to pay. She could do the same here, washing dishes, but she didn't. Sookie had begun to appreciate that doing tasks helped to fill the hours until Eric rose.

"You need to find something outside to keep you busy," Sookie grumbled. The books took hours in front of the laptop upstairs and there was cleaning and cooking, but it wasn't enough. Online classes and traveling to Dublin to meet with professors would soon take up time, but that wasn't until January. Sookie slept later, happy to nestle next to Eric, but she couldn't stand the idea of missing the better part of the day.

It had been raining off and on, as was usual for November, but as Sookie stared out the window, a ray of light broke through. It almost danced before her eyes, appearing and then disappearing as clouds obscured it. Sookie almost looked away, and then, the light was back. There was something about it that seemed familiar, and then Sookie knew. It was forming and swaying like the light she created. She watched as the light moved purposely over the landscape, traveling up to rest on this hill in front of her house. Without another thought, Sookie headed through the utility room, grabbing boots and coat along the way.

The hike to the top of the hill was a little slicker than it had been the last time she'd hiked up, but that was what came of days of rain. She only stumbled twice, but the second time she pitched forward, catching herself with her hand. "Stupid!" she scolded. Her boots had plenty of tread. She was just too busy watching the ray of sunshine to pay attention to the ground underfoot. Finally, she emerged on the rocky hilltop, the ground like a stage overlooking gray, damp countryside. Beyond her hill, rainclouds swept toward her, but all Sookie could see was her cousin, Claudine, glowing in the shaft of light.

"Took you long enough," Claudine laughed.

"If you wanted me to come out, you could have texted or called," Sookie shrugged.

"Where's the fun in that?" the Seelie laughed. "Besides, I knew you'd see the message and understand. You're more Fae every day," and Claudine stepped forward, the light following her. Sookie was tempted to place her hand against the shaft of light illuminating her cousin just to see if its boundaries were as solid as they looked. Claudine laughed, seeing Sookie's gesture. "Come!" she trilled and taking Sookie's hand, drew her to stand within the sunshine.

Immediately, Sookie felt it flowing through her. It reminded her of something, but the harder she tried to remember, the more the memory eluded her. "What…?"

"It's life," Claudine sighed. "The life of everything around us. Grandfather taught me the secret when he returned from saving you. I told him it wasn't fair that you got to share it and I didn't!"

"I don't remember," Sookie murmured.

"I suppose I understand that," and Claudine kissed Sookie's lips. "Grandfather told me you almost passed into the Shadowlands." Claudine said it in the same way she might have said, ' _Look at that rock_ ,' or ' _Blue looks good on you_.' Sookie knew she had been in some danger, but hearing it said aloud by Claudine was jolting.

Claudine was looking across the countryside, but when Sookie didn't say anything, she turned her head, "You are very lucky he came to save you."

"Grandfather and Eric both saved me," Sookie corrected, standing a little taller, and then added, "Yes, I am lucky."

"Grandfather said the vampire was the reason you were injured," Claudine sniffed. "You owe the vampire nothing. You owe Niall your life."

"Eric isn't the reason I was injured," Sookie corrected. "My temper is what put me on that street. Eric's blood is what held me long enough for Niall to come," Sookie bit her lip, deliberately shifting the subject to safer ground, "Is he all right; Grandfather? I haven't heard back from him and I've left voice mails. I wanted to tell him personally how grateful I am."

"That's the reason I'm here," Claudine told her. "He wants you to know he received your messages, but he's very busy," and then Claudine preened. There was no other word for it. Her smile was so self-satisfied that it reminded Sookie of Amelia. "We have all been very busy," Claudine said, emphasizing the 'all,' and giving Sookie an expectant stare.

"All right," Sookie sighed, recognizing her cue, "What has kept you so busy?"

"Rogan's kingdom!" Claudine crowed. "You broke him! You really did! He's skulked off to his fort and locked the doors behind him. The entire North is open. Mae's travesty of an uncle is making noises that as the last relative of Breandan's mate, he has rights, but Rogan and Breandan were Brigant and the whole kingdom was Brigant under my Great-Grandfather, and that's what counts!"

"So…you've taken over Rogan's kingdom?" Sookie asked. She felt as though she'd stepped into a Dungeons and Dragons game, and her voice must have showed it.

"Keep up!" Claudine snapped. "Of course, we've stepped in. Niall is Rogan's brother! How could he do otherwise? Now, it's just a matter of selecting the right regent," and Claudine's smile grew broader.

"Oh, and you think Grandfather will select you," Sookie guessed.

"Of course, he should!" Claudine exclaimed. "Father can't leave Niall's kingdom. He runs things for Niall, so it's down to Claude or me, so there shouldn't even be a discussion."

"But I'm guessing there is," Sookie guessed again.

"I think it's really a test," Claudine snapped, confirming Sookie's suspicion. Her eyes squinted as she stared at her cousin, "It's the only logical explanation. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I don't like Claude," Sookie shrugged. "He never did right by me or Breandan." Sookie was about to leave it there, but it occurred to her how her words might sound if Eric heard them. "Not that I care," she added. "It's really none of my business, anyway."

"You're wrong!" Claudine exclaimed. "You may be…well, not entirely Seelie, in fact, technically vampire, but you do count. If you didn't, Grandfather wouldn't have saved you. Your magic…" and Claudine placed her hand on Sookie arm. "It's special. Did you practice while you were in America?"

"I didn't have time," Sookie lied.

"I don't like it when you do that," Claudine sniffed, her lips turning down. "You aren't that clever. I can tell you aren't telling the truth." Claudine drew herself up, and then she looked back toward the house, her eyes speculative. "You know, you aren't really aligned with vampires. Grandfather never meant this arrangement with Northman to be anything more than a short-term solution. Even though that bitch of a Queen shackled you with the bond, you can still walk away. You can still be one of us."

"What happened to my being too low a life form to ever really be Seelie?" Sookie's eyes narrowed, too. There was something afoot and she figured if Claudine didn't come out with it soon, she'd just ask direct questions, forcing the truth from her cousin.

"Things are different," and Claudine touched Sookie again. "Rogan was a great power among us. His leaving has created disruption. So much territory and so few Seelie creates…challenges." Claudine led Sookie to an outcropping of stone. "Uncertainty brings the possibility of change. If we were to assert our claim and you were to stand with us…" and Claudine smiled her brilliant smile. "We could even whisper that you are part witch."

"Not you, too!" Sookie sighed.

Claudine laughed, "I can see you hold those creatures in the same low regard I do!"

"Great!" Sookie huffed and eye-rolled. "Seelie already think I'm lower than dirt and you're volunteering to say I'm even lower than that? With friends like you, who needs enemies?"

"I have never treated you poorly!" Claudine protested. "I can't be held responsible for my brother's actions. Who helped you dress for your pledging? Who taught you to hide your scent?" The Seelie shook her hair back, "You are the one who's not being kind!"

Sookie blushed. Claudine could be pushy, but she had been kind, speaking up for Sookie when others didn't. "You're right. You deserve better from me."

"You need to decide where your loyalties lie," Claudine said. "It will be better if you did. You don't wish to be vampire…" and when Sookie opened her mouth to protest, Claudine continued, "Grandfather told me. The Northman should have turned you, but he didn't because you didn't wish it. Sookie…" and Claudine took her cousin's hands in her own, "You are not human. You are not vampire. No person in any world can stand alone. We are your family, you should join with us."

"But most of the Seelie don't want me," Sookie pointed out.

"If you agreed to use your powers for us, they would come around," Claudine replied. "No one can see the things you do and deny that you have a place among the Fae."

"And what's in it for me?" The question tumbled from her lips. It wasn't that Sookie wanted to know for herself. Instead, Sookie realized she'd just channeled Eric, probing for the agendas of those surrounding her.

"Spoken like a true Seelie!" Claudine laughed. "Well, a place among us, obviously!" She sat back, smiling, secure in her victory. "Friends, family, wealth, of course. We should be able to find a way to free you from your mate, if you wish that, or…" and Claudine winked, "we could buy your Eric's freedom from his Queen and he could align himself with us as well. Niall likes him well enough and your vampire seems more comfortable around other species anyway. We'd find him plenty of work. He could run his businesses, like he does now."

Sookie thought of that possibility. It didn't sound like something Eric would embrace. "I'll have to think on it," she said, and in the next moment, she felt Eric's rising. Her mouth fell open and her head turned toward the house, ' _like Pavlov's dog_ ,' she scoffed.

"What's to think about?" Claudine giggled, oblivious to Sookie's state. "Northman will do anything you say. Grandfather told me of the power you hold over him. If he means so much to you, you might consider that joining us could protect him. It might even make his existence better."

"I suppose." Sookie stood, brushing off her pants. He was returning, and it was all Sookie could think of. "It was nice seeing you," she mumbled," I'm happy to know Grandfather got my messages. Let him know that I'd like to invite him to dinner. You, too, if you'd like. I'll cook," and Sookie started walking toward the path, anxious to get back to the house, hoping to be beside the vampire when his eyes opened.

"Don't stumble!" Claudine called after her, and then a little more meanly, "Be a shame if you broke your neck in your rush!"

Sookie glanced back, realizing how rude she was being, but, at the same time, feeling almost helpless to stop, "I am sorry, but I've got to go! I'm sure you understand!" and she turned back, watching her footing, gauging the distance in seconds.

Of course, she didn't make it in time. She leaned over to pull off her boots, then straightened so fast she smacked the back of her head into Eric's nose. He'd been leaning down, and Sookie was sure she heard a crunch. "Oh my God!" she gasped, holding the back of her head while at the same time reaching for him.

"It's fine!" Eric growled. His voice was tight and his hand was at his face. He moved it, making another crunching noise that had Sookie shuddering in disgust. There was some blood, but when he lowered his hand, nothing appeared to be bleeding. "You are trouble!" he exclaimed, and then he opened his arms.

"I am your trouble!" Sookie acknowledged and without hesitation, leaped at him, trusting him to catch her, which he did.

When they stopped kissing, Eric laughed. "There's blood on you!"

"Blood on you, too," Sookie replied, sliding down. "Did I break your nose?"

"Yes," Eric shrugged, "but it's healed." He walked past her into the utility room and washed up at the deep sink. He opened the cabinet, removing one of the stacked towels she'd never noticed before and waved her over, using a corner to wash her face, too. When he was satisfied they were clean, he threw the towel into the waste bucket.

"Don't you want me to wash that?" Sookie asked.

Eric looked surprised, and then felt something else. "No," he answered. "No, once blood touches the fabric, the smell remains."

Sookie was about to ask him why there were so many towels in their utility room when he said, "I have a confession to make."

"That you love me?" Sookie guessed.

"There's nothing left to confess about that," Eric smiled warmly. "I am yours. No, it's something else. I invited Octavia Fant here tonight."

Sookie couldn't help grinning, "Octavia who? What kind of name is that?"

Eric's mood turned more serious. "Fant, and, Sookie, she's a witch."

"Again, with the witch thing!" and suddenly it wasn't funny.

"Pam and I have known Octavia since she migrated here from New Orleans in America. We have a business relationship," Eric was explaining. "She is the one I called to place a ward around this house when I first brought you here. I wanted to be certain that we wouldn't be attacked by Seelie…"

"Is that why Claudine won't come to the house?" Sookie asked.

Eric shook his head. "The ward allows your relatives entry. Your cousin won't come here because she's worried I'll drain her."

"Would you?" Sookie gasped.

"Seelie are delicious," Eric laughed, "but no. Probably not. Anyway, Octavia will be here in two hours, and I will not."

Eric was walking back into the house, stopping in the kitchen long enough to look around. Sookie knew he was checking on things, as he always did, checking for stray smells or anything that didn't fit in. It was habit with him, doubtless born from centuries of working to stay alive, if this state could be called alive. "Why would you invite someone if you knew you weren't going to be home?" Sookie asked. "You know how I feel about this…"

"I have been summoned to Sophie-Ann's court," Eric cut her off. "I have no choice in this matter. It is time for me to return to my job. I had thought she would allow me another week, but she has decided tonight is the night." Eric sniffed, "It is within her prerogative. Octavia's visit is already planned. I will wait until she arrives, and then I must go."

"You could just tell this Octavia person to come another day," Sookie suggested.

Eric stopped his walking. He looked down at Sookie and she felt captured in his eyes, "I think this is wise, Älskade . I think you should meet her now and hear what she says. If she can help you to understand your gifts…"

"What is it about everyone and my gifts, all the sudden?" Sookie protested. She told Eric about her conversation with Claudine on the hill. "I don't like it," she concluded. "I feel like the prize bull and everyone keeps calling, 'Pick me!'"

Eric didn't smile. Instead, he cupped her face with his hand, "You are precious to me," he told her, but then, his phone chirped, and he decided to look at it was more important than continuing to stare into Sookie's eyes. "Pam!" he grinned. "You invited her here?" and when Sookie didn't say anything, he started walking and talking again, "This will work well. I will be with the Queen, and Pam can be with you while you talk with the witch. Pam knows Octavia," and he glanced at Sookie, "All will be well!"

Hearing that Pam was coming did make Sookie feel a little better about all of this. "Explain again what you do for the Queen," Sookie asked. For some reason, the cupboard full of towels in the utility room came to mind.

"I investigate," Eric replied. They'd arrived upstairs and Eric was looking around the newly-finished bedroom. "I arrest transgressors," he added, opening the closet doors and then peeking in the bathroom. Sookie handed him the remote, and he tested the shades before turning toward her, his fangs descended, "and I punish those found guilty." His eyes were warming and he stroked her breast. "Would you like me to show you how I subdue suspects?"

"Does it involve handcuffs?" Sookie sighed, his stroking making more than her breasts warm.

"It could," Eric purred. "This bed has the right headboard. It would be an easy thing to install hooks for restraints."

"Slow down, Buster," Sookie scolded, but she couldn't deny that the idea of being restrained while Eric had his way with her was intriguing. Maybe not every night, but…

"I can go very slow," he smoldered. The buttons to her shirt were open and he'd unhooked her breasts from the cups of her bra. "Unfortunately, we don't have enough time, but would you like a taste?" His long fingers were plucking and Sookie barely hesitated before nodding.

Taking her hand, he led her to the bed. "Consent is important," he whispered. "I won't do anything to you without your consent. You can stop me at any time. You need only ask," and he ghosted her shirt from her, and then her pants. "There is a freedom that comes from knowing you are not in control. It can give you the permission you need to fully experience your body."

"I don't need permission," Sookie panted. She rarely had trouble leaving her worries behind when Eric and she were together. She threw herself in the moment with enthusiasm, but the idea had her heart beating a little faster.

"Take off your clothes," Eric instructed. "I'll be back in a moment and I expect to find you on the bed."

"Should I pull the sheets down?" Sookie asked, suddenly nervous.

"No," Eric smiled. "But it was good that you asked."

He wasn't kidding. He moved so quickly it was as if he'd disappeared. Sookie pulled her underwear and socks off and had just scrambled up on the tall mattress when he was back. He was wearing only his pants, the ones that hung so low that the long lines of his hips were revealed. The hair curled in its lazy line from his navel down, and then down again, and Sookie couldn't help it. She wet her lips, and then her breath caught as he raised his hands, showing her thin ropes. "I won't restrain your legs," he told her, "only your hands." Eric walked to one side of the bed, "Lay back," he instructed and when she did, "Give me your hand, Sookie."

He tied the rope around her wrist in intricate knots that were, in themselves, beautiful. When he was done, he walked around to the other side of the bed and did the same. "Try to get away," he instructed her and when she did, he asked if the bonds were too tight, and adjusted them just a little. "I don't want you to suffer," he said, and then he pulled the scarf from his back pocket. "But I do want your eyes. I want you to truly feel what I do to you. I don't want you distracted by what you see. Will you allow me this?"

Sookie could feel how aroused he was, and it made her feel powerful. "Yes," she told him. "But if it becomes too much…"

"We stop," he finished. He leaned over and kissed her, and then, "Lift your head," and he tied the scarf around her eyes, making sure her eyes were closed first. All ambient light went out and Sookie knew he'd turned off the lamps. He didn't need them, and he proved it by starting at her feet. He kneaded and massaged, following fingers with tongue, running teeth lightly over the arches, before advancing to ankles and then to knees. His hands drifted up, almost reaching, but never touching where she wanted them. He framed her thighs and then her hips. His lips and breath were everywhere, wetting, cooling, at some points, teeth scratching, only to be followed by tongue and lips again.

"Eric!" she called out, "Please!"

"Not yet," he chuckled. "Feel me, Sookie. Enjoy how I worship you!"

Sookie was sure her wrists would be bruised, she was pulling against the ropes so hard. She wanted to pluck at her own breasts. She wanted him to touch her core, but his movements over her touched everywhere but there. She wondered if he was actually hovering over her, but as soon as that thought distracted, his tongue tasted her core and she bucked under him. "Oh!' she exclaimed.

"Don't move your legs," he ordered, and he brought her feet up, bending her knees and pressing to open her more. Sookie felt something that could have been fingers, and then, something else.

"Eric?" she questioned.

"Ssh," he soothed. "You'll like this." It another moment, she felt the vibration and heard the slight hum. He moved the vibrator within her, pressing, then dragging, making her breath ratchet more, and then, he removed it. "Breathe," he instructed, and the vibrator was being pushed against her back entrance.

"I'm not sure…" Sookie gasped, but Eric's tongue was on her. He lapped and sucked, fondled and nipped, the whole time pressing and then withdrawing the vibe. Sookie felt her muscles give way, the vibe sliding within her, the pattern setting off a whole new world of sensation.

Fingers now replaced tongue, and Sookie was lost. There must have been some kind of remote, because the vibration pattern from the toy within her changed, becoming more intense. Eric's fingers stroked and massaged, scissoring, while his mouth suckled. The pressure built quickly, almost too quickly, and Sookie was soaring, her hips lifting from the bed. Eric growled. His teeth pierced her thigh and she felt the sudden rush of fluids as she came, her mouth open, her voice one, long, breathless 'Oh!'.

Almost before she was done, Eric was over her. "Now!" he said, and his cock pushed within her.

"It's too much!" Sookie gasped, feeling as if she was stretching beyond what was comfortable.

"I'll go slow," he promised, and he withdrew, but then pushed in again, the motion playing against the vibrations from the toy, leaving Sookie gasping, her brain struggling to keep up.

"Again!" Sookie gasped, and, with a chuckle, Eric pushed.

True to his word, he kept his movements slow, allowing her to feel each ridge and roll. The pattern changed again, now more of a continuous purr, and he whispered, "Can you take more?"

"More?" she asked.

"Faster," he translated.

She wasn't sure when it happened, but faster sounded like a great idea. "Yes!" she agreed. "Faster!"

Eric didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed her hips and started moving with purpose. Sookie stopped thinking of him or of her. There was only the drag and press of cock sliding, the playful thrum of the toy and the guttural sounds Eric was making. The pressure this time started in her ears. It raced and raged, her muscles clenching as she arched toward him, pressing back, never wanting this feeling to end. "Eric!" she called as she fell again, and he redoubled his efforts. He brought her legs up and over his shoulders, going a little deeper, and he snapped forward, somehow changing the tempo of the vibe once more, and then he was roaring. She could feel every pulse, every shudder, as he came within her.

He collapsed, careful not to crush her. He laid his hand on her breast, his tongue moving, licking her sweat. After a while, Sookie felt him untie her hands. He rolled her to him, rubbing her wrists. She thought about the blindfold, but was too sated to lift her hands to remove it. Eric moved her legs, removing the vibrator, then wrapped her in his arms again. He lifted the blindfold himself and asked, "Did I hurt you?"

"Not hardly!" Sookie laughed. "You might have killed me, though. I thought my heart would stop!"

"You wish us to move to this bedroom, then?" he chuckled.

"Yes, but not if we're going to do this every night," Sookie sighed. "I don't think I could take it. Why don't we trot this one out for holidays?"

Eric laughed in that rare, open way he could. "Your own a calendar of events?" His eyes were shining and he chucked her under the chin. "I like this. I like how we are together."

"I do, too," Sookie sighed again, stroking his chest, kissing his skin, "but we have guests coming and my legs are like Jell-O. All I want to do is close my eyes and sleep."

"Then I please you!" and Eric didn't bother hiding his cockiness. He rolled away and walking to her side of the bed, lifted her, carrying her to the bathroom. "Perhaps this is the answer," he told her, setting her down to rest on the toilet. "If I keep you this way, you will never walk away from me."

"Or you could bell me with vampire chains," Sookie snipped.

Eric's eyes narrowed, but then his lips curled, "Or that. Either way, I'd know where you were and not worry about the trouble you find when you go wandering off on your own." He turned on the shower. Sookie looked longingly at the pool-sized bath, but she knew that would have to wait.

Sookie held out her hand for an assist and Eric obliged. Once she was erect, he placed hands on both shoulders, steering and supporting her into the stall. "We need a seat in here," Sookie sighed, the warm water adding to her general sense of bliss.

"Yes, that would be good," Eric agreed, soaping her up and then turning her under the spray. "Something at the right height so that when I lean you over…"

"Do you think we have too much sex?" Sookie asked.

Eric's hands stopped, and Sookie could feel his surprise. "There's too much?" he asked.

"Give me the soap!" Sookie laughed and took over the washing duties.

They walked downstairs to find Pam already in the house. She was pouring tea for another woman at the dining room table. "Sookie, I don't think you've met Octavia Fant," Pam said, as she rose and hugged Sookie. "Mmm," she breathed in Sookie's ear, "smells like fun!"

Sookie didn't answer. None of Sookie's ideas of what a witch should look like matched Octavia Fant. Octavia just looked…normal. She was an older woman, her grey hair braided and clipped to her head. She stood and Sookie realized Octavia was taller than her. She was wearing a dress Sookie saw on church-going, Irish ladies' every day and her feet were encased in sensible heels. In other words, aside from the color of her skin, Octavia Fant looked like every Irish housewife Sookie had ever seen, right down to the pocketbook sitting on the table.

Sookie pulled her smile into place and advanced, holding out her hand, "Ms. Fant? I'm Sookie Stack… Northman," she stumbled. "I'm sorry I wasn't downstairs to greet you."

"For a non-believer, you do have wonderful manners," Octavia replied, her accent marking her as American South. Her dark eyes flicked to Eric, "I see the wards are holding up pretty well."

"I thank you again," Eric bowed his head. "I must apologize. I have been summoned to the Queen's Court. I will make a point of catching up with you, but, for now, I must go." He grinned at Sookie, "I believe you have questions for Octavia, many questions."

"I wouldn't exactly say that!" Sookie protested, feeling caught out.

Eric smiled. He didn't walk to her, but Sookie felt the longing he pushed toward her, and felt her knees weaken. "I may be late." His tone was the one he generally reserved for when they were alone and for Sookie, it felt as though they were. "I do not wish to move tonight. I wish to come home as things were." He didn't elaborate, but Sookie knew he was telling her he they would be sleeping under the stairs for now.

"I'll walk you out," Pam announced and suddenly, Sookie found herself alone, facing Octavia Fant.

They stared at each other one long moment before Octavia broke the silence, "So, you think I'm a fake."

Sookie couldn't help glancing toward the garage, hoping Pam would return to rescue her. It was cowardly, though, and Sookie was no coward, so she squared her shoulders, jutted out her chin, and answered, "I do."

Octavia's eyes narrowed, and then her face relaxed, "Well, at least, you're honest about it." The woman moved over to one of the chairs and asked, "May I?" before she sat down.

"Of course," Sookie stammered, and then, "May I get you something to eat? I made some muffins this morning…"

"Toasted, with honey," Octavia requested, and she resumed drinking tea while Sookie bustled around the kitchen, slicing and pulling out the honeypot while things toasted. While she worked, Sookie cut quick looks toward Octavia. She wasn't sure where to start. As she walked the plate to the table, she glanced at the garage door, too, but Pam showed no signs of returning.

For her part, Octavia looked completely at ease, but as she finished spooning honey, she said, "So, you believe in fairies, you believe in vampires, but not folks like me? Seems a little high-handed. What is it about witches? Or is it just me?"

"I don't know you!" Sookie exclaimed.

"Exactly!" Octavia replied. "What do you think it would take? I don't presto-chango into something else. I don't have fangs or pointy ears. I don't ride on brooms…"

"I can't explain it. I guess it's just something I'll have to work on," Sookie replied. Her face was blushing, and she was, truly, embarrassed.

"I expect you should," Octavia nodded. "Is there something else you want to ask me, maybe about yourself?"

Sookie's eyes widened. For a moment she wondered if Octavia was clairvoyant, but then she remembered Eric would have told Octavia of their suspicions. "There was a woman in Minnesota," Sookie started. "She said I was a witch. She said my Grandmother, Adele, was a witch, too."

"Being a witch is something you choose," Octavia replied. "I'm not saying there aren't some born with more talent than others, but there's not a one of us that wakes up one day and thinks, ' _Oh, I'm a witch_!' To become someone like me takes work and will."

"And…do many women choose to become… Well…like you?" Sookie fumbled.

"Not many," Octavia sighed. "More now, men and women. It helps that folks don't burn us anymore."

"Yeah," Sookie giggled nervously, "I bet."

"We wield power," Octavia focused on Sookie. "With that comes tremendous responsibility. What we harness is not like Fae gifts. We tap into more fundamental elements; powers, that if we're not careful, could consume us. Most decide to stay no more than hedge witches…"

"That's what Inger said about my Grandmother! A hedge witch," Sookie exclaimed. "What is that?"

Octavia drew in a great breath, and then leaned forward, looking friendlier, "A hedge witch is someone who understands herbs and plant-lore. They are usually healers. They accomplish simple magics; potions and such. They tend to be loners, solitary, living close to the land. It helps to keep the distraction of larger powers at bay."

"Oh," and Sookie asked, "And what about me? Inger said I was something more."

"You're Seelie," Octavia shrugged. "With all that vampire blood in you, you're practically glowing. When I truly look, I can see your Fae face. It's lovely by the way, but witch? Perhaps. The Fae buy our services from time to time, but they don't have the patience or focus it takes to become witches."

"So, you don't know if I am…" but Octavia interrupted Sookie.

"Like I said, Sookie. Witch is a choice. You might have talent. You might have tremendous talent, but unless you decide to explore it, you'll never know. You do know you have magic. It's like a living presence around you. It's possible that's what the woman in Minnesota saw." Octavia wrapped her hands around her teacup, "Let's say we do a little experiment. Go get yourself a teacup. There is more tea in the pot. Let's have you take a sip and then we'll see what we see."

Sookie did as Octavia requested. She poured a cup of tea from the pot. Pam had used the good, loose leaf tea instead of the flimsy bags, so the leaves floated near the bottom. She drank down to the leaves, and then pushed the cup toward Octavia. The witch knocked the last crumbs of the muffins from her plate onto a napkin and then upended Sookie's teacup. After a moment of staring, she frowned. "You are not a witch, Sookie, but you are meant to be."

"What do you see?" Sookie asked.

"Trouble," Octavia told her.

"Eric tells her that all the time," Pam laughed as she finally returned from the garage. "Parlor games?" she asked, taking a chair and staring at the tea leaves on the plate.

"Not games," Octavia sniffed, then leaned forward and took Sookie's hand. "If you decide to explore this side of yourself, I would be honored to be your instructor, but you must choose."

"Now?" Sookie squeaked.

"What else are you doing for the next couple months?" Pam asked.

"Well, then," and although Sookie thought this might be a bad idea, she said, "Yeah, sure… I guess."

"Then let's begin…" Octavia announced. "Start a fresh pot. You can experiment on me and even Pam. I will show you how to read the leaves."

"What about my own?" Sookie asked, but Octavia rose, taking the plate with Sookie's leaves to the garbage pail and tipped it in.

"We walk before we run," she announced, waiting until Sookie herself rose and started moving.


	39. Chapter 38 - Pulling Weight

**Chapter 38 – Pulling Weight**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"Don't look for your usual warm welcome at Court," Pam warned Eric. They had walked outside, leaving Sookie inside with their guest.

Leaving Sookie alone with Octavia Fant had not been Eric's intent. He thought to visit with the witch, allowing Sookie to become accustomed to her. He wondered if Sookie's trouble with the idea of witches was tied to her religion. Christianity had a long history of persecuting witches. Sookie rarely spoke of her religious beliefs, but if it wasn't that, he was at a loss to explain his mate's prejudice. His mate was so flexible with all the other revelations about her new life, this was the only secret that seemed to throw her. ' _Maybe it's her Seelie coming out_ ,' he thought.

"It's not as if I've been on the warmest of terms with Sophie-Ann in some time," he shrugged.

"This is different," Pam insisted. "Before you flirted with her and joined in when she needed someone for a threesome. Now you're bonded, you won't be buttering her pumpkin. She's taking heat for not moving on Rogan's kingdom. You know how lazy she is! It never occurred to her to have ambition until Carmela and some of the others started goading her."

"Why do the other rulers care?" Eric asked, but he already knew the answer.

Pam did, too, "She blames it on you. She is saying that if you'd kept your nose clean and stuck to your own species, Rogan would still be King of the North, Breandan would still be walking, and things would be normal."

"She blames Sookie?" and he felt his chest clench.

"She blames you!" and Pam poked his chest. "It's the old argument, ' _Why did he have to consort with the Seelie? Why did he have to be friends with Brigants?_ '"

"I am still her vassal," Eric sniffed.

"And she intends to make you work like one," Pam replied.

Pam was right.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"I didn't expect you to cause trouble while you were there!" Sophie-Ann fumed. "You know Robert! How hard was it to simply visit, convey my best wishes, and return? Instead, you manage to cause an incident. Robert owes favors, which means I owe favors, Northman. I don't like to be in debt to anyone!"

"It was an accident, Majesty." Eric was on his knees, his forehead almost touching the floor. Even Pam had underestimated the Queen's anger.

"You keep saying that, but it doesn't change the bill!" Sophie-Ann sniffed, then glanced at Andre. Her Second had said little, but his self-satisfied smile spoke volumes. Eric figured they were communicating in some way because Sophie-Ann sighed and said, "All right, Andre, you're right. Get up, Northman! Even I can't stand to see you groveling this way."

"You did bond them," Andre said aloud.

"I did," the Queen acknowledged, "I just thought he'd kill her by now." Sophie-Ann straightened in her chair, "Why haven't you, Eric? To pledge for business is one thing, but being tied to the creature?"

"It suits me," he answered. He could see his answer surprised her, and then he wished he'd found something less revealing to say.

The Queen looked at Andre again and when she looked back, her face was almost sympathetic. "I heard other things from Robert," she told him. "I am sorry, Sheriff. I should not have done this, but done is done. All I can do, as your monarch and friend, is position you to minimize the damage." She held out her hand and a courtier Eric recognized as the Queen's secretary stepped forward. He handed the Queen a piece of paper. The Queen read it, and then looked up. "Your orders, Northman. It occurs to me that I have been lax on the matter of your duties. My other Sheriffs work hard. They don't have time for pubs and extracurricular visits to other countries. I can't imagine why I treated you differently."

Of course, that was a lie. Sophie-Ann had been holding out hope that Eric would become her consort, and so his duties had been perfunctory at best.

"Here," and she held out the list. "I am assigning you the whole of Ireland. Xavier is taking England. You will also be required to train new Sheriffs for Robert. He is sending them here; they arrive next week. It will pay off the debt I owe him because of you. And, Eric?" She waited for him to show proper obedience, "You are not to corrupt them! No special audiences with Seelie! Find a place to house them. They will be your responsibility and I expect you to pay for their upkeep. That will wipe your little adventure in America off the books." As Eric stepped back, keeping his head bowed, the Queen added, "Even Maude complained. What were you thinking?"

"My mate…" Eric started.

"Is under my protection," Sophie-Ann cut him off. "That's all I intend to say on the matter. You may bring her to Summits and gatherings, as long as she knows how to behave. Since you've decided to keep her, she is your responsibility as well and, Eric? If I hear from Niall Brigant that there's a problem, I will exact punishment for that, too. You understand?"

It was hard to keep his teeth from grinding. Eric knew Andre had had a hand in the Queen's pronouncements. Left on her own, Sophie-Ann might have restricted the orders to training the new Sheriffs. Adding Sheriff duties for the whole of Ireland took it to a new level. Still, for a vampire of Eric's age and reputation, the terms were reasonable and there were none around him who would feel he was being excessively ill-treated. He waited until he'd stepped back and another stood before the Queen before examining the paper in his hand. It was an impressive punishment and all within the definition of his job. He would carry the work of three Sheriffs. He was required to complete all paperwork himself and submit verbal as well as written reports. He was not allowed to hire others to help in collecting tithes. He was allowed to hire others to investigate crimes, but he was required to personally dispense the Queen's justice.

In other words, Eric Northman would be busy from the moment of his rising well into the dawn hours. He would need to spend nights away from Ballytyne, which meant re-opening safe houses and finding and equipping new ones. There was a link and password to lists of all known registered vampires in Ireland, along with tax rolls and complaint lists. "Skit!" he swore.

"Welcome to it," Xavier agreed. "She's released the others and until you get yourself back in her good graces, you're going to earn your place, along with me"

"All of England for you?" Eric asked. "What did you do? She seems to be just as unhappy with you, Brother."

"Nothing as creative as you," Xavier replied dismissively, but Eric knew he'd just found Robert's spy.

"And your assignments?" Eric asked.

"Much the same," and Xavier indicated the list in Eric's hand. "And, of course, it's not as if we can slack off…" They both knew the penalty for failure.

"Andre is a conniving little shit," Eric growled, recognizing the Second's hand in all of this.

"But effective," Xavier shrugged. "We cost her. She's angry. We pay until she's happy and Andre makes sure the punishment is sufficient to satisfy any audience."

"It should only take fifty years or so," Eric grinned, but then his grin faded. His situation wasn't unusual. He'd found himself on the wrong side of monarchs and paid off these kinds of debts many times over the years, but now it was different. ' _Sookie!_ '

"Sophie-Ann's doing you a favor," Xavier said, correctly reading Eric's sudden change in attitude. "By the time things resolve, your little problem will be gone. Time is the great leveler."

Eric's chest squeezed again. To not see Sookie, to not wake to her, seemed impossible. Eric drew in breath to force the pressure he felt to subside, and then, carefully, he drew his mask back into place. "I can see the Queen means well," he answered.

"Even when she's angry, she likes you too much to truly hurt you," Xavier agreed.

"Where did she send the others?" Eric asked.

"Other Sheriffs?" Xavier confirmed. "Spain, mostly. That horse racing thing? Sophie-Ann lost a lot of money. Carmela needed muscle. Sophie-Ann sold their contracts for almost nothing. If it helps, I heard Carmela specifically said to exclude you."

Eric chuckled, "I would have thought she'd forgiven that by now."

"You do have a way of getting under peoples' skin!" Xavier looked up, "Andre's coming over," he hissed.

"And here they are!" Andre's smile was over-sized as he sketched a bow to them both. "The long arm of the Queen's law…all two of them!"

"Sophie-Ann isn't worried about the lack of coverage?" Eric asked. "Were I thinking of causing trouble, I would take this as a sign to start."

"Sophie-Ann has complete trust in your abilities. After all, anyone who can create an international incident," and he nodded to Eric, "and provide news to the world," and he nodded to Xavier, "should have no trouble keeping the Queen's peace."

"The lists are up to date?" Xavier asked, moving the conversation to business. It was a concern. There were always complaints about the state of the Queen's secretarial staff. Registering changes of address were always late, making tracking of wrong-doers more difficult.

"As they always are," Andre grinned. "Of course, your territory will be easier," he told Xavier. "Northman's will be complicated by all the newcomers."

"Newcomers?" Eric asked.

"News of your in-law's retreat from the world travels. Open territory means new opportunities and with no clear rule in place…" and Andre shrugged.

"Niall Brigant is claiming sovereignty," Eric replied, passing the information he'd heard from Sookie.

"That's interesting," and Andre's eyes narrowed. "What does that mean for you, Eric?"

"Nothing," and Eric stilled.

"Come, come now, Eric," and Andre leaned close as though they were friends exchanging secrets, "Surely the good son of a Seelie King benefits when kingdoms grow."

"Niall doesn't like me," Eric replied.

"He likes you well enough to drop everything and come to America," Xavier added, earning a frown from Andre.

"It wasn't for me," Eric shrugged. "It was for my mate. Were it me, the Queen would have a new pair of fangs for her collection."

"And she would miss you," Andre purred, then, shaking back his hair, he chuckled, "Well, if that's how things stand, you better work very hard," Andre sniffed. "Those who exist on sufferance are usually the first to pay the price when things turn sour and things in the North are likely to turn sour fast."

Xavier and Eric watched Andre return to the Queen. "Why didn't you turn her?" Xavier asked. "You could have delayed this, claiming the need to train her. No one would have questioned which duty came first."

"Niall would have exacted revenge," Eric lied.

"You've really screwed yourself, haven't you, Northman?" and Xavier laughed. "You leave her human and the Queen seethes. You turn her and the Seelie come after you. Only you can find yourself in this kind of trouble!" He laughed again and said, "Come on! I'll buy you a donor!"

"I would join you," Eric smiled, "but Pam is waiting for me. She will need to be told." It was another lie. Soon enough, Eric would be forced to turn to donors. He would be resting under Earth and soliciting information using every trick he had available. He wondered how he would explain this to Sookie, or if he should even try. Sookie knew he was a Sheriff. She understood the rudiments, but somehow, he didn't believe the finer points would meet with her approval.

"Assizes is next month. I'll see you then," Xavier bowed. "I look forward to meeting this woman who is costing you so much."

"She is no bother," Eric bowed back. "She is my mate."

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"You're not trying," Octavia scolded. "With your affinity for the things around you, you should reveal the ward with ease!"

"Think of it like a river around the house," Pam suggested, "Or wind."

"Wind…" Sookie repeated. Sookie closed her eyes and thought of how she created walls that forced wind to travel around her. She thought of making all the small vibrations in the air around them visible. It was more a wish, but when she opened her eyes, she was confronted by a silver, shimmering wall that arched high into the sky, up and up until it was part of the stars. "Oh!"

"Impressive!" Pam clucked.

"It shouldn't have taken so long," Octavia tutted. "You really have no training at all! Hasn't anyone talked with you about your skills?"

"My Daddy showed me how to do one thing…" Sookie started.

"I've never seen it," Pam didn't bother hiding her enthusiasm. "Would you?"

Sookie glanced around. She was sure there was no one near to see, but she couldn't help but feel as if someone might be watching. "Wait!" Octavia instructed. The older woman merely waved her hand and the shimmering wall that was Octavia's ward around them turned milky. "There, we're masked."

"Nice trick!" Pam nodded, then turning back, watched Sookie expectantly.

Sookie held up her hand and the column formed. It was so easy now. Sookie barely had to think of it. She glanced at Pam's open-mouthed stare and then Octavia. "Well," the witch shrugged, "Go ahead!"

With a quick nod, Sookie looked at her whirlwind and made it larger. When it was as tall as herself, she had it jump to the ground and then jump over and around them, landing at various places, sometimes stationary, sometimes swaying in that odd dance-like motion it had. "Can you make it stronger?" Octavia asked.

Sookie nodded again. Keeping the column some distance from them, she thought of it as being burly. It was hard to explain, but the column gained substance and they could hear the sound of its turning. It reminded Sookie of a phantom engine, the roar there, yet still far away. There was something about it. Sookie found herself pushing it, growing it incrementally. She added color. She added speed. Leaves started to flap and small branches were drawn to it. A broken gorse branch whipped past them, pulled into the column. "Stop!" Octavia ordered. Sookie jumped, her focus broken, and the column slowed, and then, slowly, it faded.

"I don't understand," Sookie stammered. "Usually it just disappears."

"That's one powerful piece of magic you have," Octavia replied. "You've always been able to do that?"

"Since the time I was little," Sookie nodded, "though not like that. I used to just think they were pretty."

"So, is she a witch?" Pam asked.

"No," Octavia shook her head. "Like I told Sookie, Fae magic and witchcraft are different."

"I still don't understand," Sookie confessed.

"I'll show you," and Octavia took Sookie's hand, opening it so her palm was stretched out. "Go ahead, make your little column. It doesn't have to be big." Sookie nodded and did as the witch asked. "You have it under your control?" Octavia asked.

"I do," Sookie nodded.

"You're sure?" and Octavia leaned forward, staring at Sookie.

"You can't glamour me," Sookie sighed. "It doesn't work."

"That's interesting," Octavia replied, and then the witch moved her hand. Whichever way she moved, Sookie moved, too. Octavia forced Sookie to send the column to sit on the witch's car, and then to roll along a nearby rock face. She moved Sookie's hand first one way and then another and after a minute, she closed her hand and the column disappeared.

"How did you do that?" Sookie gasped.

"I didn't have to control your magic," Octavia told her. "I only had to control you. That's witchcraft. Channeling the natural abilities of the people and things around you to serve your own purposes."

Pam shuddered, "It's why we don't like witches," she told Sookie. "They are the only creatures who can stop us."

"What do you mean?" Sookie asked.

"With humans, even Seelie, they may defeat us, but at least we can fight back. A witch can take you over so completely, you could walk into the sun and not be able to do a thing about it." Pam shuddered again.

"What's to keep witches from taking over?" Sookie asked. She felt funny asking it. Even though Octavia didn't resemble her in any way, Sookie couldn't help thinking of the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz. She'd been terrified of the character as a child.

Octavia just laughed, "Remember what I told you before? "Absolute power corrupts absolutely." If witches were to try anything like that, our own power would burn us out! It would be suicide. Each time we use our influence, and I call it 'influence' because that's what it is, it costs us something. You see, maintaining the ward here doesn't take much, but it still drains me. Just doing that little demonstration for you was exhausting. The most intense part of training witches is building up the ability to dispense and sustain power." When Sookie looked confused, Octavia explained, "Think of it like batteries or building muscle. It takes exercise and time."

"So," and Sookie looked at Pam, "if this is mostly a learned skill, why don't vampires learn? Or Seelie? I can't believe they haven't tried…"

"The dead are the dead," Octavia shrugged.

"Believe me, there are those of us who've tried!" Pam added. "There have been wars fought over it. Eric told me the story of a nest who tried holding some hostage. The witches took over the vampires, leaving them standing together in closets when they weren't using them. It went on for years."

"Natural minions," Octavia added. "Dead flesh is the easiest to influence."

"Good to know," Sookie plastered her smile in place, not wanting to think too much more about 'dead flesh' with Eric coming home. "And the other Fae?"

"For some it's against their law," Octavia told her. "For others, they feel it's beneath them. Better to buy our services and use us up. As you may guess, with the way using our powers can drain us, most witches die young. The Fae cling to their immortality. They won't do anything to endanger it."

It made an odd kind of sense. "And what about me?" Sookie asked.

"What about you?" Octavia cocked her head. "You were easy enough to control, but you say you can't be glamoured?" Sookie nodded and Octavia asked Sookie what other magics she could do. Sookie bit her lip and then made a decision. Eric trusted this woman and Pam did as well. She told Octavia about the birds and animals. She told Octavia about moving things and sending things and her housekeeping tricks. "I'd imagine you can pull together rain clouds if you wish or find sunshine," Octavia prompted.

"I've never really tried it, but my cousin, Claudine, can," Sookie replied.

"Well, I'd say you have most, if not all, of the Seelie magic," Octavia told her, "and maybe more. It could be Northman's blood has amplified your abilities. Vampire blood is pure magic. But you have something else and I think if we worked on it, you'd find it helpful."

"What's that?" Pam asked.

"She can resist glamouring." Octavia turned to Sookie, "If you were able to develop that into a skill, you might find it useful."

"I don't understand," Sookie replied. "Vampires can't glamour me. Seelie can't either, but what else would I use it for?"

"You might find that it helps you resist all types of magic," Octavia told her. "You could be immune to witches and anyone else who tried to influence you."

"Would it interfere with the bond?" Pam asked.

Octavia frowned, "I don't know."

"I can't have that!" Sookie exclaimed. It was one of those moments when she realized how much Eric had come to mean to her. Just the idea of not being able to share with him through their bond was unthinkable.

"I understand," Pam soothed her friend. "I wouldn't want to give it up, either. Eric does have that effect on the people he cares about."

"I'm sure you're fond of him. Eric attracts people in a very natural way, but I'm sure you wouldn't object to being able to control how much you experience and when…" and Octavia waited.

"I'm not sure," Sookie answered, surprising even herself.

Octavia frowned, "It gives him tremendous power over you."

"I trust him." The words tumbled so quickly, Sookie immediately wondered at her own resolve.

"Spoken like a vampire!" Pam laughed. "You really should consider becoming one of us."

"And miss my witch lessons?" Sookie laughed weakly. "Not for the world."

'Still," and Pam stepped between Sookie and Octavia, "Would this shorten her life? She is already so fragile…"

"I don't know," Octavia replied, "but not exploring the possibility might not be good either. If Sookie is determined to live among the Fae, she should understand and be able to use all the weapons she has available." Octavia took Sookie's hands and turned them palms up, "Mortals who play with the Fae rarely end well."

"I'd like to try," Sookie nodded. "If it turns out to be too hard or there are side effects, I'll stop." When Pam still looked worried, Sookie added, "I've pretty much turned down any training with the Seelie. I can't explain it, but every time the subject of my magic comes up, I get the feeling there's something they want from me and whatever it is, I won't be happy about it later."

"I can understand that," Pam nodded. "They are a slippery bunch and things are…well, there's…"

"Rogan's disappearance," Sookie finished Pam's sentence.

"Territory and wealth up for grabs can make even good people turn dark," Octavia nodded. "I've turned down several jobs already. I don't want to become ensnared in that mess, but there are others among my kind who aren't so particular. Your family…" and she nodded to Sookie, "are offering vast sums of money and some of the jobs being floated are particularly worrying."

"Like what?" Sookie asked.

"I don't deal in death and neither should any of us," Octavia sniffed. "But enough of that and don't ask me anymore! I won't betray confidences. If I did, my life wouldn't be worth the dirt we're standing on. Let's see if we can use your wall-building to keep out the metaphorical as well as the physical." She waved her hand and Sookie found herself being pressed to the ground. "Concentrate!" Octavia ordered. "Don't panic! Think of the pressure as wind and create your wall to deflect it."

They worked for over an hour, Pam encouraging and teasing, until Sookie was able to move out of a crouch. "You are much stronger than you know," Octavia praised her. "If you wish to continue, I would be willing to work with you. You will have to pay me, of course. Three times a week?"

"Why not every night?" Sookie asked. "Or every day? We could practice while Eric rests."

"I know you're excited, but tomorrow you will find you're exhausted. It may take you a few days to recover. Drink from him…" and when Sookie blushed, Octavia clucked. "Don't be embarrassed around me! I know how these things work! Do whatever you need to do to recharge yourself. Sharing blood should also help your powers shape to accommodate him. In fact, you might consider drinking blood from anyone you want to include in your little circle."

"That's okay," Sookie mumbled. "Just Eric."

"Nice!" Pam huffed and when Sookie started apologizing, Pam added, "Not a problem! Now I know where I stand."

"You two can sort things out later," Octavia announced. "I've already stayed longer than I expected." She walked back into the house and straight to the dining room where she picked up her purse. As she shook hands with Sookie, she asked, "So, you think we're still drivel?"

"No," Sookie answered. "I apologize. It was insensitive of me."

Octavia gave a quick nod, "Well, it's a start. I'll be back in three nights. I expect you to be ready. Oh, and Sookie?" The older woman fumbled for her keys, "I think we should do a little practicing with your Seelie magic, too. I can't train you the way a Seelie could, but I may be able to suggest possibilities for you to try."

"Couldn't hurt," Pam added, and it was decided.

As they watched Octavia pull away, Pam asked, "So, why did you want to see me tonight?"

"Carrack," Sookie told her. "Come on, I'll show you."

Together, they reviewed the receipts and expenses. "I can't think of another explanation," Sookie told Pam. "Maybe there's something you know? Second set of books? Money laundering?" Sookie meant it to be funny, but Pam didn't miss a beat.

"We don't run our other operations through the pubs," Pam said, staring at the screen. "Too messy."

' _Other operations?'_ Sookie thought and filed it away for later.

"Maryann was right," Pam continued as she pulled up the income statement, "You have a real talent for this. I don't think I would have put it all together. Who knows how long this has been going on?"

"I don't think it's been that long," Sookie consoled her friend. "I went back to check." Sookie pulled the keyboard over, pulling up some older balance sheets, "Your place down South just opened and Slievemore hasn't been open a year yet, so it was easy to spot. It looks like it may have started two, maybe three months ago…" and she pointed at the columns and where the change registered. "It was small, but now, it's noticeable."

"That should help. It's a relief to know it was so recent. Chow has been our partner for a long time. Probably means it isn't him." Chow was the permanent manager of the Ghoul's Kiss in Carrack and Sookie knew he got a larger cut, but it was the first time she'd heard him confirmed as a partner. "We've had some turnover in staff. Things with Rogan were never easy. He was a competitor for all he was also our landlord of sorts. When he was still running the hotel in Carrack, he made a point of head hunting our staff, particularly the good ones. Made keeping things running harder, but I guess that was the point."

Sookie found herself thinking of the words Octavia has used earlier that evening, "And now, territory and money are up for grabs," she repeated.

"I'm glad Eric's back," Pam sighed, but then she pulled up a chair. "What did he tell you about the Queen?"

"Other than she's angry with him?" Sookie asked. "Nothing, why? Is there more?"

"Can you feel him?" Pam asked.

Sookie stilled. It occurred to her that she'd been feeling sad, almost depressed, for a while. "Is that him?" she asked.

"Yes," Pam nodded. "He hasn't texted. He may not be able to, but he's not happy."

"She won't hurt him, will she?" Sookie examined her feelings more closely, sorting out her own from the ones she realized were Eric's. "He doesn't feel injured."

"Sophie-Ann doesn't have to torture him," and Pam laid her hand on Sookie's arm. "All she has to do to make him miserable is make sure he has no free time."

Sookie knew Eric had the Sheriff job, but she'd figured it was either ceremonial or didn't require a lot of time. "I didn't realize there was more to being Sheriff than what I saw, which wasn't much." Sookie thought of stories she'd read or seen on television about police and their families. She remembered most of them featured divorce. "How bad could this get?"

"I don't think she'll sell his contract," Pam pulled out her phone and stared at the screen.

"What does that mean?" Sookie pulled her phone out, too. She hadn't realized it was so late and there was no message from Eric, just her growing sense of unease.

"The Queen has the right to sell Eric's contract to another monarch, maybe Asia or America. He'd have to move," Pam looked at Sookie, "You'd have to move, too. With the bond, you can be separated for days, but not weeks. You'd have to be close enough to exchange regularly. You might be able to fly to him, but there is a reality to being vampire, Sookie. Eric needs…any of us need to have safe houses, places of refuge. You know we can withstand filtered sun, but…"

"I know how it works," Sookie was starting to feel more worried, "but you don't think Sophie-Ann would do that."

"No," Pam sighed, "I think she'll just work his ass off. She'll load him down with so many duties he won't have time for anything else."

"Can he quit?" Sookie already knew the answer.

"Only with difficulty," Pam confirmed.

Then, Sookie remembered something Claudine had mentioned earlier, "What if Grandfather arranges to buy his contract? I heard that might be arranged. I'd have to agree to do some things for them, but Eric would be free."

"Why would you shame him?" Pam looked as if Sookie had let out a bad smell. "Eric wouldn't be able to hold his head up among our kind. Neither would I."

"Well, it was just a thought!" Sookie flushed, ashamed at the sense of relief she felt. When Pam continued to stare, she added, "I'm sorry! I didn't know!"

"I suppose you didn't," Pam concluded. With a sigh, she texted on her phone. "I'm heading home. Maryann's been waiting. Look, Sookie," and Pam took Sookie's hand. "I have a feeling Eric's coming home with bad news. I'm grateful you told me about Carrack and I'll call you back tomorrow. Maybe there's a way we can pinpoint how they're doing it; bar, supplies, you know."

"You think I'm going to blow up when he tells me, don't you?" Sookie thought about what it would be like, waking to an empty bed and she couldn't feel angry. "I could always go with him," she suggested, "like a deputy."

"Probably not," Pam snapped. Sookie followed Pam downstairs. "Just try to be kind when he does get home. You're important to him. He won't want to let you down and that might make him behave…well, badly."

"I love him," Sookie told her friend.

"I hope that's enough," Pam said as she hugged Sookie close.

Sookie closed the door and turned off lights. It was well past midnight and the exhaustion Octavia predicted seemed to find her in a great wave. Sookie's fingers fumbled with the latch that opened the door under the stairs and she gripped the handrail extra tight, worried she'd miss her footing. The lights turned on, everything the way they'd left it earlier. She thought again of the way they had loved each other in the upstairs bedroom and her blush blossomed. "I don't know if I can do without you," she whispered to the empty bed.

It was just a few steps to the little bathroom. Sookie thought about putting on her sensible nightshirt and then, in an act of rebellion, she chose the red teddy instead. It was held together with bows and the lace left little to the imagination. She posed on top of the comforter, but, as the hour dragged by, she chilled and gave up. Before she turned the lights off, she checked her phone again. Two o'clock. Dawn would come in four hours. Her eyes felt like sand had been thrown in them. She grabbed his pillow and then went to the closet to grab his shirt from last night. Eric didn't really smell. It was more of a combination of aftershave and something that was uniquely him, but breathing it in made Sookie feel calm and then, she felt nothing.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Sshh," he said, and then he jostled her again.

"Jeez, Eric! What time is it?" Sookie felt as though she hadn't closed her eyes at all.

"Dawn is approaching," he whispered. He shifted her against him and then said, "What are you wearing?" She couldn't help groaning as he pulled the blanket back. "Is this for me?" His eyes were glowing.

"It was," Sookie growled, "a couple hours ago. Now, it's a reminder of what you miss when you don't bother to come home!"

"I am sorry, my wife," he sighed. "It couldn't be helped."

"Are you all right?" Sookie turned into him. His arms came around her, bringing her close. It felt wonderful.

"I will need to leave here tomorrow," he sighed.

"For how long?" Sookie curled her fingers through his chest hair, as though she could hold him by tugging those short curls.

"A night, maybe two." He pulled her even closer, kissing her head. "How is it that you have become so much a part of me? The thought of falling to my day death without you beside me is painful."

Sookie was wide awake now. She pulled away and rolled over to turn on the light. "I guess you better tell me what happened." She sat up and Eric sat up beside her.

"Nothing," he said. "It is as I said it would be. We have returned, and it is time for me to return to my duties. You have your work…"

"Are you really going with that line?" Sookie rolled her eyes. "After everything we've promised to each other? Really?"

Eric stared at her, his face still. His feelings were still as well, something Sookie was beginning to recognize, and then they transformed into a hum "Stop it!" Sookie demanded, shoving him. "You were thinking about coming clean, and then you started to plot! I can feel it!"

Eric's eyes blazed, "You know too much for your own good!"

"Well, forgive me for loving you!" Sookie growled back. "I could walk away! I could decide all this shit is too much and I could go back to living behind Maryann's, but, Eric…" and she leaned over, burying her nose in his chest, "I don't want to. I have a feeling you leaving tomorrow night won't be the last time we're separated. There's something going on, so you should just tell me."

"You won't be happy," he said aloud.

"I know," Sookie nodded, "but I'll be even more unhappy if I have to find out on my own."

"Why can't you just accept what I tell you?" Eric huffed, but Sookie knew she'd won.

"You'd be pretty disappointed if I did!" and she kissed his chest. Looking up, she squeezed, "Tell me!"

"I am now Sheriff of all of Ireland," he told her.

"And that's a bad thing," Sookie stated.

"I shared this territory with three others. I was chief, but they handled many of the duties, even in my territory. Collecting tithes, managing staff. Now, there is only me."

"What happened to the others?" Sookie asked, feeling faintly ill at the possibilities.

"Nothing that terrible!" Eric laughed, correctly interpreting her thoughts. "They are headed to Spain and Carmela's court. Not bad duty. The weather is better."

"Are there that many vampires in Ireland?" Sookie asked. "I mean, I've seen the ones at Sophie-Ann's Court, but I kind of figured that was it."

"There are many who live here. You did see most. They travel for Assizes, we are not that big a country, but there are more who live solitary lives. They are the ones who forget to pay taxes or cause trouble." Eric sighed and leaned back, throwing his arm behind his head. "And Robert is sending two vampires here for me to train."

"Oh," and Sookie thought about that. "Well, with the new bedroom ready upstairs, we could let them use this chamber if they don't mind…"

"I don't know if you will meet them." Eric didn't look at her, but she could feel his frustration.

Sookie swallowed, "I see. How long will they be here?"

"Weeks," Eric bit out. "I will set up a house for them…"

"Would it be better if you stayed with them?" Sookie hated the way her voice was getting smaller, but she was getting an idea of what being bonded to her was costing Eric and it didn't feel good.

Eric's look told her the answer, but he said, "No," instead.

"Liar!" Sookie whispered.

"I don't wish to talk of this anymore," Eric told her. "Dawn is here. Let me go to my day death with you in my arms. I wish to pretend it will be this way every dawn. We will have time to talk more tomorrow night."

"It doesn't matter," Sookie told him. "I love you. We'll figure out a way. As long as we're together, I know things will be fine."

"You lie as well!" Eric grinned.

"Then let's go for a whopper," and Sookie laid her hand over his and then lifted it to cover the bow that held the teddy together over her breasts. "Let's pretend it's still an hour to dawn and we have plenty of time to unwrap presents."

"I love you," he murmured, his long fingers pulling the ribbon.

"I said it first," Sookie reminded him, capturing his lips.


	40. Chapter 39 - Hand Over Heart

**Chapter 39 – Hand Over Heart**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Author's Note** : I am heading out for vacation in Scotland. I will resume publishing upon my return.

One night turned into two. Sookie found herself so hungry for Eric that when he was close, she walked out the front door and stood in the driveway, her desire causing her to literally bounce on the balls of her feet as she watched for the lights of his car. It was hurried and joyful. It made true every bit about the heart growing fonder. "How will we manage this?" she whispered. They hadn't made it past the front hall. He'd slammed the door, but it was nearing winter and her skin prickled with goose bumps.

"As with all things," and he'd stood, slipping from her, and then lifting her to him, "one night at a time."

She awoke before him and spent an hour lying there, stroking him, memorizing the lines of his face with her fingers. She felt the flutter and then the rush of his rising, and she'd met him, fingers interlaced, sharing breath. "I wish you could stay," she'd said out loud.

"We had this time," he replied, being sensible.

He told her of his work in Northern Ireland, interviewing those who had worked for the former Sheriff of that territory. "Some are human, some are vampire," he said. "Most are anxious to keep their positions, but they need to be loyal to me." The way Eric described it, it was painstaking, sorting those he would keep from the examples he would set by casting them aside.

"Still," he sighed, pulling on his shoes, "It is an investment that will reap dividends. If I have eyes and ears I can trust, it is less that I have to do myself."

"Text me when you get there," Sookie smiled. ' _Three nights, maybe four_ ,' he'd told her, and it was hard to keep her smile in place.

There was no question of Eric's feeding from others. He promised he wouldn't fuck them and that was enough. Sookie waved as he drove away. As she walked in through the garage, she realized the house felt empty. _'You need to get busy!'_ she scolded herself, but the thought of not seeing Eric again for so long preyed on her.

Sookie ate, and then, starting in the utility room, she cleaned. She hated it. Dusting and vacuuming were the jobs she loathed as a child. She remembered her mother telling her that it didn't matter if you were poor as long as you were clean, and it prompted Sookie to check the calendar. Thanksgiving was only a few weeks away. In another month, it would be a year since she'd become an orphan and her adventure here began. Sookie thought of how she'd grown up with her Father away, sometimes weeks at a time, finding new jobs. ' _Places we could hide_ ,' she realized. "How did you do it?" she asked aloud, and she marveled at her Mother's strength.

"You loved Daddy every bit as much as I love Eric," she said to her Mother's photo in the kitchen. "You survived," and the memory straightened Sookie's backbone.

There was no telling how long this would go on. Eric was non-committal. Sookie accused him of being evasive, but she backed off when he told her he just didn't know. "Sophie-Ann is angry with me," he shrugged. "She's been angry before. We are vampire. Time flows differently for us. It may take a while."

He did become evasive when Sookie pressed him on how he'd resolved things in past, so Sookie let it drop. She didn't need to ask. She knew, and she knew she wouldn't be okay with using those same methods to resolve things this time. "It's okay," she'd smiled. "Something will come up. Things will get better." Staring at her Mother's picture, thinking of all those years her parents endured long separations, she wondered if she was the one who was lying.

She finished her cleaning, shutting the door on the upstairs bedroom. She couldn't look at the bed without thinking of the only time they'd played there. It hurt her heart. Instead, she retreated to her office in the back bedroom. She booted the computer, eagerly looking for new files left by Pam and Maryann. "I need to get more clients," she said aloud, when things finished too quickly.

Ian has been here yesterday. Sookie had no expectation of seeing him again until Eric returned. Ian was thrilled to be helping Eric. His work had him staying in nice hotels near Belfast and other places. Ian liked the adventure and wasn't quiet about it. "Even Ian sees you more than me!" Sookie told her reflection in the computer screen, thinking of the injustice of it.

Another hour passed. "I shouldn't have slept so late," Sookie scolded herself. She went downstairs and turned on the television. She almost never did, but she felt trapped. "At least Mom had kids," she grumbled and then felt terrible that she'd said it.

She could find nothing. The movies she used to like held no interest. The television shows seemed stale. Turning off the set, she stalked the house, finally ending in the library. She perused the shelves, pressing her nose to the spines, inhaling the scents she knew Eric loved. "You have got to get a handle on this!" Sookie gasped. "It's not that bad!"

Sookie returned to the kitchen and pulled out a piece of paper. After a moment, she wrote, 'Research B&B.' She'd been to one meeting. There was another coming up next week, but she'd done no particular work on finding possible locations. She had money in the bank. Her mother's life insurance made buying a B&B of her own possible, although Sookie still couldn't believe her Mom had money to pay for that kind of coverage. "But where?" she thought.

And then it occurred to her. Rogan was gone. Pam had hinted at it, but with no Rogan and no Breandan, there was no one left to tell Sookie she couldn't return to Slievemore. ' _I'm free!_ ' The thought left her breathless. Until this moment, it hadn't occurred to Sookie how much Ballytyne felt like exile. Yes, she and Eric had spent their first months as a couple here, and, yes, they had altered the upstairs to be light tight. It wasn't enough. For Sookie, Slievemore with its harbor and shops; its pubs and tourist trade would always feel more like home.

' _It's where we first met, well, in human form at least_.' Sookie remembered kissing Eric in the little park when she hadn't known that he was her one, and it confirmed her warm feelings about the town.

Sookie glanced at the clock. It was late, but, if she left now, she could be back in Slievemore in less than an hour. Grabbing her phone, she pushed the numbers. "Sookie?" Maryann answered. "Everything all right?"

"Fine," and Sookie took a deep breath. "Would you have a room I could use for a couple nights? I'm lonely hanging out here. I could use some friend time."

"I have a whole inn practically empty," Maryann told her. "It's low season, you know how that is. I'd love the company. Pam is in Carrack and it makes the nights long."

"Days, too," Sookie replied, and it was decided.

It took Sookie less than ten minutes to pack. ' _I'm getting too good at this_ ,' and the thought made her sad. She had hoped that Ireland would mean putting down roots and staying in one place. Instead, she found herself hopping from one town to another, married to a man who had houses in many towns. "Perhaps this is my fate," she told the mirror, then fluffing her hair, she headed downstairs.

Maryann had the lights on as Sookie pulled up. Her friend opened her arms and Sookie walked into them. Maryann put her in one of the larger rooms downstairs near the hostess apartment. Sookie could see the garage from her window, the apartment where she'd lived all dark. She knew Maryann hadn't hired anyone yet, and, for one, mad moment, Sookie considered asking for her old job again. It had been easier, living here, working, "But you weren't married," she told herself. "You'd be without him," and her chest constricted at the thought.

Pulling out her phone, Sookie texted, letting Eric know where she was. It was an agreement. She would only call in an emergency. His text back was immediate.

E: 'Why are you there? Was there trouble?'

S: 'No. I was lonely. How are you?'

E: 'Fine. Is Pam there?'

Sookie frowned. 'No.' she texted. After a moment, the phone rang.

"It's late," Eric said, "When do you plan on driving home?"

"I don't," Sookie answered. "I'm going to stay here for a couple days, Eric. It's not like Rogan's orders are still in force… Are they?"

That seemed to give Eric pause, but then he said, "It doesn't matter. The wards are in Ballytyne. You should return there immediately."

"Don't order me!" Sookie felt her temper rise. "I'm doing the best I can, here. You have things to do, and I support you, but you have to support me in getting the things I need, too, and right now, I need to be with friends."

"But anything could happen…" Eric growled.

"Like it always does," Sookie sighed. "Look, if there were some danger or someone stalking me, Claudine would have said so," and then something occurred to Sookie. "What is it? Do you know about something, something you're not telling me?"

"No," he answered, his voice sulky, "It's just you should stay where…"

"Where what?" Sookie challenged. "Where you put me? Is that where you're going?"

"No," he answered and Sookie knew he was lying. It made her smile.

"Sure, you weren't," she laughed. "Look, Eric, you know Maryann, you know Pam's here a lot. I like it here. I have friends, people I know. Fact is…" and she drew in breath, not knowing how he'd take it, "Fact is, I want to move back here. I like it here."

"But I closed up my house…" he replied.

"I know, and we just spent money renovating, but I can't help it," and Sookie waited.

"Is this because of Breandan?" Eric asked.

It caught Sookie by surprise. She rarely thought of Breandan now and realizing that left her feeling both relieved and guilty. The Fae Prince meant something to her once. Her hesitation did not go unnoticed.

"You do!" Eric hissed. "You regret…"

"I'm not regretting anything!" Sookie barked. "Stop! Stop right now before you get yourself worked up over nothing!" She could feel his seething through their bond and she made an effort to send back how she felt about him. When she felt a slight change, she said, "You caught me off guard, asking that, Eric. Truth is, I don't think about him at all and until you brought him up, it hadn't occurred to me. It makes me feel kind of sad, that he should have turned out to mean so little. I was going to marry him."

"You are too kind-hearted," Eric growled.

"And you are too possessive," Sookie snapped back. "But it doesn't matter, because everything I am is yours. Go ahead and bond-fondle me. You know I'm telling you the truth."

He did. She could feel it and she wasn't sure whether she should feel angry that he didn't just take her word for it, or flattered that she meant so much. "Well?" she asked after a bit.

"I…" and he paused. Instead, he sent her a wave of feeling. It was complex: contrition and desire.

"I love you," she told him.

"Me, too," his voice a whisper.

"You're not alone," she stated.

"Not entirely," he answered, "not ever."

"You're sure you're okay?" she asked.

"I will do my best to return to you soon. I will send Ian back to Slievemore to open my house. It would be better… I would like you…"

"Eric?" Sookie interrupted, "Have Ian give me a call when he's in town. I can meet him at Ghoul's Kiss, and Eric? If the house needs to be re-opened, I'd like to be the one to do it." She knew it was just a job to Eric, but, to her, it felt important, like something a wife would do.

"I wish I was with you now," he breathed.

"Me, too," Sookie sighed. "I love you, Eric Northman. Go be a bad ass Sheriff and get your stuff in order so you can come home."

"To you…" he finished.

"To me," she agreed.

"Don't forget about Octavia," he reminded her, and the call disconnected.

"Aargh!" Sookie groaned, and laying back, slipped her fingers into her panties. She imagined they were his fingers. She closed her eyes, thinking of the way he smirked as he watched her reactions. It didn't take long. She arched, his name tumbling from her lips. It was enough to take the edge off, but, in the end, not nearly enough.

Sighing, Sookie picked her phone back up and texted Octavia Fant.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"I've lived here all my life and I've never seen some of the places we go," Ian was telling her. He was muscling through a second bowl of fish chowder and had just sent the waitress back for more bread.

"Don't you eat?" Sookie asked.

"Not much," Ian shrugged. "Of course, Mr. Northman doesn't stop for such things," and he flicked a quick glance at Sookie. Sookie figured the Dayman was feeling guilty about watching when Eric did eat.

"Don't worry," Sookie dismissed, "Eric and I are good about his feeding from others."

"He's lucky to have you," Ian grinned, and Sookie couldn't help it. She felt jealous. It took every ounce of willpower not to start grilling the Dayman about who Eric was feeding from and what was happening after. _'Don't!'_ she ordered herself and literally bit her lip to keep from asking anyway.

When she felt she had her baser instincts under control, she asked, "So, where's his Slievemore house?"

"Not far," Ian replied, wiping his mouth. "We can walk there. He drew me a map, didn't trust the Google thing. I was surprised it's in town. Most of his others I've seen are set away from people, if you know what I mean." Sookie did. "I think he had another around here, but he sold it for some reason. He said to tell you not to be discouraged by the furnishings. Said to spend whatever you want."

Sookie thought about that. She knew Eric enjoyed living well, so the idea that he would feel the need to apologize was unexpected. She knew he opened Ghoul's Kiss right after he returned from Boston. Pam had told her that Eric insisted the new bar be located in Slievemore because he was sure it was where Sookie would show up. That was over a year ago. "Maybe he just bought the house?" Sookie asked.

"I don't think so," Ian shrugged. "But easy enough to find out. People in a place like this can tell you the pedigree of every house on the street!"

"It will be nice to be in town," Sookie smiled, deciding to move on. "Did Eric tell you this was where we met?"

Ian frowned, "No, in fact, Mr. Northman told me he met you in America."

She couldn't help it; Sookie blushed, thinking of Eric in his dog form licking her face. "Mr. Northman saw me in America," Sookie corrected, "but we actually met here." Sookie looked around the pub. It was still day, so Mick, the vampire bartender, wasn't on duty yet. There were plenty of placards on the walls making clear that local music was still the main draw, but now there were other signs, too. There were stars on the door and framed news reviews testifying to the quality of the food. Even though it was winter, the tables were full. Ghoul's Kiss had become popular and Sookie felt proud.

In truth, Sookie couldn't stop smiling. Every moment, from sitting with Maryann in the kitchen at Seacoast Shores this morning to climbing the cobbled street to Ghoul's Kiss, was like a homecoming. Shopkeepers who knew her when she worked at The Grand stopped her. Children she recognized waved as they ran by. Even the paneled wood entrance of The Grand, the hotel Breandan ran, looked inviting. _'Wonder if Preston Pardloe's on duty?_ ' she wondered, but couldn't bring herself to step in to check. She knew…well… She was pretty sure things would be different with Rogan and Breandan gone, but she wasn't ready to test it.

As if to prove that she was back where she belonged, Moira, one of the waitresses Sookie knew, chose that moment come in. "Faith!" she exclaimed, before walking straight over to Sookie's table. "You're back! I heard it was a long honeymoon, and then you might move away altogether, closer to Eric's new place. So good to see you!"

Sookie gladly returned Moira's hug. She tilted her chin and declared, "We are, back, I mean."

It was all she got to say. Moira was already talking. "So, why didn't you choose to get married here, in Ireland? There's plenty who would have come. Eric's popular and that Pam would have thrown a helluva party!" Moira didn't say it, but her eyes traveled over Sookie's stomach, making clear her suspicions as to why Eric and Sookie had married in haste. With a quick shake of her head, Moira set her apron on the table and stared at Ian. "Well, and here I am, interrupting your lunch, and you would be…" The waitress stretched out her hand to Ian, but flicked her eyes toward Sookie.

"Ian Murphy." Ian stood, bowing a bit, and answered the unasked question, "Mr. Northman's special assistant."

"So, rising up in the world, then," Moira observed, her eyebrows arched in question. "The pubs must be doing well."

"And other things," Ian answered. "Mr. Northman's holdings are extensive."

"Holdings? And will you listen to him?" Moira sniffed. She turned back to Sookie, hugging her again, "I'll be saying that I knew you when, but it's as it should be. Good things should come to good people." Moira glanced around the bar, "I'd better be getting on. I'm bartending now as well as waitressing."

Sookie knew Moira was just curious, but it didn't take more than a few minutes for Sookie's identity as the wife of the owner to have made its way through the new staff. "Sorry, Missus," their waitress stammered when she returned to their table. "Had I known…"

"You were great," Sookie assured her, but Sookie could see things changed. The other two waitresses were staring at her and the woman waiting their table started coming over too often, falling over herself to be helpful.

"Ready to go?" Ian asked after the second time the young woman flew over to refill their almost-full water glasses.

"Sure," and Sookie found herself standing awkwardly when Ian swooped up the check. "Thanks again!" she called to the waitresses, then walked outside to wait. The boot shop was still across the street and Sookie flexed her feet, remembering.

"It's down this way," Ian gestured, then touched her arm. They walked in the opposite direction from The Grand, each step reminding Sookie of the night Eric walked her home and she'd kissed him. Sure enough, they took the same turn, and just before they reached the small park, Ian said, "It's this one."

'This one' was a solid, stone house painted bright blue, sandwiched between two other houses. The door was varnished wood with a fancy door knocker and there were two prim windows to either side. While Ian fumbled with his keys, he walked a little past the house, "Place for a couple cars over here," he called to her. "That's good to have, living in town." He didn't bother with the old-fashioned lock below the handle, but inserted the key in the deadbolt lock above.

He turned and then pushed, and then pushed again. The door seemed to stick a bit at the top. "Not unusual," Ian said, half to himself. "The damp here, and all." The blinds were pulled and Ian stepped inside. Sookie stepped behind him. The light coming from the street was filtered, but she could see she was standing in a combination living room and front parlor. There was a small couch and a chair facing a fire place that was blocked with an iron stove. The staircase was lit by its landing hosting one of the front windows, and the whole effect was one of general shabbiness.

"He must have bought the place furnished," Sookie mused. She couldn't see Eric really using any of the fussy, worn furniture.

"Kitchen through here," Ian called, but Sookie could see his disapproval. The room had a sink and a refrigerator that Ian was plugging onto the wall. The stove was a two-burner contraption and the floor was dirty.

There was a door into a small, fenced yard. "Could put a table back here," Ian sniffed before walking past her back into the house.

"I suppose," Sookie sighed. She marched up the stairs to find two bedrooms. One had a double bed and there was a single in the other. There were a few pieces of mismatched furniture and a third door opened to an old-fashioned bathroom complete with an iron tub. As Sookie walked past the smaller of the bedrooms, she noticed the old-fashioned lace hanging in the window. "It could be charming," she said as much to herself as to Ian.

"Now, here's something," Ian told her, gesturing to a door she hadn't noticed at the far end of the hall. There was a keypad and the soft glow letting her know the door was alarmed. "He didn't give me a code. Said you'd know it," he told her.

Of course, there were codes at the house in Ballytyne. Sookie teased Eric about being such a security freak, but she did understand. The alarm looked like the one of their garage, so she keyed in the five-digit code, 'lover,' and she heard the lock snick open.

Ian had retreated down the hall while she disarmed the alarm, but he returned now, "Would you like me to go up first?"

Neither of them needed to open the door to know there would be stairway. It seemed that a vampire did sleep here, and he chose to do it under the eaves.

"Nope, I'm good," Sookie answered. She knew it wasn't likely, in fact was impossible, but she half-hoped she'd find Eric resting. "Wait here," she instructed, taking the flashlight Ian handed her.

The stairs were steep, almost a ladder, and she was reminded of the staircase in the cottage in Killary. The walls were unfinished wood and the ceiling as she emerged was so low she had to stoop, but once she took a step forward, she could stand. There was a large bed against the far wall and a desk with an outlet strip affixed to it. The chair was large and Sookie couldn't help touching it, knowing he'd sat there.

Unlike the beds downstairs, this one was made, but as she stepped forward, there was a skittering sound. "Great, mice," she groaned. There was dust everywhere, and Sookie had a hard time believing this was where Eric lived when she first came to Slievemore. "It's just not your style," she told the desk chair.

"Someone up there with you?" Ian called.

"Nope," Sookie sighed. "Just talking to myself."

"Well," Ian huffed, and Sookie knew he didn't exactly approve.

"I'm coming down," Sookie told him and she carefully picked her way back to the first-floor hallway.

"The place needs a bit of work," Ian offered.

Sookie couldn't help her wry smile before replying, "That's the king of understatements!"

"He said if you did buy some place in the country for your B&B you'd likely have to do some renovating," and Ian gestured around them.

"Eric told you about that?" She and Eric rarely talked about her dream, not that they had time to talk much at all. She didn't know why, but she got the impression he wasn't entirely on board, so hearing that he'd mentioned the B&B to his Dayman touched her.

"He talks about you a lot," Ian continued. "Misses you," he added, but nodded briskly, letting Sookie know he felt he was betraying confidences.

"Well, good to know," Sookie sniffed. "I didn't bring paper, but I guess I can get started making lists."

"I'm sure your friend, Maryann, knows some tradesmen. We should start with the water."

It was an old house. There was a propane heater that looked as if it would simply disintegrate into a pile of rust and the hot water was barely a trickle. There were no heater units in any of the rooms and the drafts from the old, single-pane windows moved the curtains. "My Mom would have called this a 'fixer-upper,'" Sookie told Ian.

"My Mam would have called it ready for a sale," he answered.

"It has good bones," Sookie declared and rolling up her sleeves, she started dictating into her phone.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Tell me about the house on Goat Street," Sookie asked Pam that night.

When Maryann asked the address, Sookie told her, describing the state of the rooms. "It's the mystery house, then?" Maryann stated, before going on to say, "No one ever sees anyone going in or out. There's a rumor the place is haunted."

"By Eric," Sookie shrugged.

"What do you want to know?" Pam answered.

There was something in Pam's voice that made Sookie curious. "It's just not what I expected. What's going on there?"

"It's the emergency house," Pam dismissed.

"Emergency house?" Maryann asked.

"The place you go if things go sideways and you can't make it to your usual resting place. Or if you have extra guests, you can put them there." She cut eyes at Sookie, "You found all the rooms?"

"You mean the attic?" Sookie asked. "Sure, I found it. He used the same code he uses on our garage."

"He does that," Pam nodded, then asked Maryann about her off-season bookings.

There was something in the way Pam was acting. Sookie couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew Pam wasn't being entirely truthful. "Are there other rooms at my house? Ones I didn't see?" Sookie asked and was rewarded by Pam's quick sideways glance.

"Nope, you seem to have seen it all. Little place," Pam said quickly, only adding to Sookie's suspicion.

"Come on!" Sookie challenged, "What aren't you telling me?" 

"Nothing," Pam protested, but then, she seemed to give in. "Or at least, nothing you need to worry about. Look, I'll arrange the contractors. You give me a list of things you'd like done."

"How about 'whole house?'" Sookie grinned. "Is that descriptive enough?"

"The way I remember the place? Yes, it's pretty much a whole makeover," Pam agreed.

"And let me guess," Sookie leaned over the table. "There is something else, but I'm going to have to get it out of Eric."

"You are clever," and Pam patted her hand and confirming Sookie's thoughts, added, "He needs to be the one to show you."

The next morning, Sookie got up early. Together with Maryann, they made some lists, and once the pubs opened, marched to the one down the street from The Grand where Brian worked. "I heard you were back in town," he greeted Sookie.

"I'll forever be in your debt for introducing me to Maryann," Sookie replied.

"I should think so," Brian quipped. "Of course, if I'd thought to matchmake between yourself and Northman, it's famous I'd be. I'd be known as the greatest fixer in all Ireland."

"Or the man to avoid if you want to enjoy the single life!" Maryann joked back.

"News travels," Sookie sighed.

"It's a small town and the tourists are gone. What else do we have to talk of than our neighbors?" Wiping the bar, Brian said, "I heard you were in and out of the ghost house yesterday."

"People really must be bored!" Sookie laughed.

"And that's why we're here," Maryann grinned.

Brian had a list of those tradesmen who were local. A few were between jobs, men whose work he knew well. "Pam won't be happy," Sookie told her friend as they walked down the street toward Ghoul's Kiss.

"She should be grateful," Maryann shrugged. "Whenever possible, always remember to use local contractors. The permits go easier and the goodwill you buy can make all the difference. And if Pam's really worried, she can just wipe their memories!"

"That's a terrible thing to say!" Sookie choked.

"But you can't say you weren't thinking it," Maryann smirked. They were just walking past The Grand. "Do you want to poke your head in?' Maryann asked. "That horse's ass, Pardloe, is gone. There's another fancy man behind the desk these days. Nicer, in most ways, and the perfect desk man. He's got that way of eyeing you that keeps those he falls over feeling superior."

Sookie didn't want to, not really. The Grand was where she'd worked. There would be more people she recognized, but many of them hadn't been kind. Still… "Sure, I'd love to see who's running things now," she said, her chin held high.

The lobby was as she remembered. The wood paneling still had that gloss that was able to shine, even when the sun wasn't out. The Fae behind the desk had his back to her. He had black hair that tumbled artfully over his collar. His shoulders looked broad in his well-fitting suit, leading the eye to tapered hips. 'Claude!' she thought, but in the next moment, he turned. His lip lifted, but then he seemed to recognize her.

"Welcome back to The Grand, Sookie Stackhouse," and the Seelie bowed to her.

"Sookie Northman," Sookie replied. "Thanks, it's been awhile. I was curious." She lifted her chin a little higher, "This is my friend, Maryann…"

"We have been introduced," the Fae continued. "But allow me," and he bowed deeper. "I am Francis Collins."

"That's a nice name," Sookie replied, bowing as well.

"It works," the Fae said shortly, letting Sookie know he had another name that went with the face she saw sliding just beneath the handsome one he was showing. Guests were walking down the stairs and Francis' gaze flicked to them, before picking up the phone. "You have family in town," he said, sounding as if they were old friends. "Just a moment."

Sookie imagined he meant Claudine, or even her Grandfather. The desk man's attention slid to the hotel guests. Watching him was like watching a play, each move exquisitely choreographed. Sookie found herself watching so intently that she didn't notice the person behind her until she heard Maryann say, "I haven't seen you in some time."

It was Claude. He ignored Maryann altogether, waiting for Sookie to acknowledge him. Sookie couldn't. Her throat was dry and the million things she'd meant to say to this person jumbled over themselves in her mind. She opened her mouth and then closed it again.

"I miss him," Claude said, and it disarmed her. "You have every reason to dislike me, but perhaps you would be willing to sit," and he gestured toward the hotel's restaurant.

"I don't have anything to say," Sookie stammered.

Claude nodded, "Perhaps, just to share a few memories. Please?"

He sounded so sincere. There were tears in his eyes. Maryann was biting her lip. Sookie's friend had known Breandan, too, and, once upon a time, had told Sookie she thought her former fiancé was wonderful. "Sure," Sookie agreed, although her inner voice was telling her this was a bad idea.

Claude led them to a booth toward the back. Water appeared and then a round of shot glasses. "Whiskey," Claude smiled. "A drink of heather for those lost." He raised his glass, "To Breandan."

"To Breandan," Maryann echoed.

"Breandan," Sookie repeated, and they drank. It was wonderful whiskey, old and mellow. Sookie felt the warmth spread through her, tingling toes and making her hair rise. She met Claude's eyes, knowing there was something else there, too, some enchantment. Her breath caught, but Claude looked away and started speaking.

"He loved this place. I watched him age here so many times. I can't say which was my favorite masque. He never showed himself as a youth. I suppose he thought it wouldn't fit with whom he was supposed to be. He had a way with playing middle age. He made it look so graceful." Claude didn't bother hiding the tear that slipped down his perfect cheek, and Sookie noticed the wrinkled skin that appeared as the drop fell.

"What brings you here?" Sookie asked. She couldn't help feeling the pull. Breandan had been a big part of her dreams, but he had also betrayed her, and with the man who now sat across from her.

"I am proving myself," Claude replied. "Father suggested work to heal a troubled heart."

"I heard Grandfather was taking over this area, what with…" and Sookie stopped talking. Maryann was staring between them. Sookie knew Pam and Maryann talked, but she wasn't sure how much her friend knew about Seelie business.

"Why don't I meet you back at The Shores?" Maryann suggested, reading her friend. "I have some shopping to do, so if you end up not being too long, we can meet at the grocery and walk back together."

It was a kindness and Sookie let her friend know she appreciated it. Once Maryann had walked away, Sookie asked, "Does this mean you're the manager here now?"

"No," Claude told her. "Unlike Claudine who's decided climbing up Niall's asshole will gain favor, I'm traveling between all the businesses, assessing staff, making sure things are running well. He stared at the ceiling, visibly struggling, "I couldn't stand to stay here too long. Too many memories."

Sookie couldn't help it. She was starting to feel sorry for Claude. "I think I can understand that," she said aloud.

"You married Northman." It was sudden, the shift in Claude's attitude. His eyes flared and Sookie felt the prickle of panic return.

"I did," she nodded. "At Grandfather's suggestion."

"Grandfather had you pledge to him, but that wasn't enough for you," Claude growled. "You took him back to America and married him your way, and he went along with it."

"We're bonded," Sookie pointed out. "That wasn't our choice, but it means we're stuck together. I still work and live in this world…well, we all do. Human marriage gives us legal rights, particularly in America. I have relatives there…"

"How easily lies slip from you," Claude sneered, but then he pulled himself back, the wistful look softening his features. "I'm sorry. I suppose I can also understand."

"What do you want, Claude?" Sookie asked.

"I want you to tell me you really cared for him," Claude leaned forward, grabbing her hand. "I want you to convince me that Breandan didn't cross over for no reason."

"Is he..." Sookie stammered. Breandan in seal form was one thing. Breandan gone forever was something else.

"He might as well be!" Claude hissed. "It's worse! I know he's out there, beyond my reach. I stand on the shore, waiting, but he hasn't forgiven me. Tell me that at least you loved him!"

"I did, once," Sookie swallowed past the lump in her throat. It hadn't been the kind of love she felt for Eric, not even close, but it had existed.

Claude stared at her and when she didn't elaborate, he eventually nodded and looked away. Suddenly, the room seemed too small, and Sookie jumped up, "I have to go," she stammered. Sookie could feel Claude's stare, burning through her back. She couldn't get out of the hotel soon enough and she almost gasped in relief when she stepped out into the raw wind.

Texting, she met Maryann just coming out of the grocer and grabbed a bag. "Everything's all right then?" her friend asked.

"I'm not sure," Sookie replied, but when she heard through the grapevine that Claude had left town, she wasn't sorry.

Eric wasn't happy to hear about it, but it became easy to dismiss his scolding. Sookie's days were filling with construction planning, bookkeeping, and helping with small projects around Maryann's B&B. Pam hadn't been happy about their choices in contractors, but a story about locking off the attic to 'keep the Good Folk happy' had been enough to keep the locals in line. The house had a reputation for being strange. The story Sookie and Maryann gave added just enough spice for the skeptics and confirmed the beliefs of others. It had the contractors showing up regularly, and stories of strange noises or glowing lights started making the rounds at the town's pubs.

Pam was in Slievemore regularly. She and Sookie spent evenings going over the receipts from the Carrack pub. When Pam wasn't able to discover anything after a few weeks, Sookie segregated receipts between supplies and the bar tabs, hoping she would be able to more closely pinpoint where the stealing was happening. One week it was the bar, the next it was from the alcohol orders, and then the shortages came from the kitchen. Sookie changed the ledger accounts again, this time segregating by morning and night, but then, the shortages stopped. "Maybe they figured it out and it's over," Maryann suggested hopefully.

"Thieves never stop," Pam growled, but another week passed, and the receipts suggested their problems had ended.

There was no explanation. There had been no change in staff or suppliers. Everything and everyone was in place. "Maybe they realized you dropping by so often meant you were on to them," was another theory. Sookie continued her investigation, but Pam felt free to spend more time at the Slievemore Ghoul's Kiss, which was her own, which meant more time with Maryann and Sookie.

Eric usually made it back to Slievemore once a week. The Sheriff candidates were in Ireland and according to Eric, they were more party boys than vampires. "They are so young, they have little caution about hiding their true nature," Eric complained. "They've never lived through a time when humans searched for them." When they spoke, Eric was full of stories about his charges. He found them to be spoiled and not a little entitled. They thought nothing of enticing humans for feeding and fucking, and then leaving Eric to clean up their mess. "They don't truly harm them," Eric hastened to add when Sookie expressed her disgust, "but they aren't careful. I almost believe they are doing it on purpose."

Weeks passed, but things didn't seem to improve. Eric didn't say it, but Sookie could sense there'd been some sort of escalation in the push and pull between Eric and Sheriff trainees.

In the time they'd been in Ireland, Sookie heard any number of stories about the Sheriffs, but she'd never met them. She knew their names were James and Dion. There were nights Eric couldn't hide his frustration and Sookie would feel it tumbling through the bond. She'd text, asking which of his pupils had pissed him off this time. Dion was the steady one. James was a prankster who delighted in goading Dion until some mayhem ensued. Sometimes the mayhem was funny. Other times, the mayhem seemed aimed at causing Eric trouble. Once, Pam let slip that she'd been brought in to help, and Sookie got the impression things were nowhere near as amusing as Eric told the story later.

Sookie found herself suggesting, "Perhaps they are testing you." Eric had shown up unexpectedly in Slievemore and they were in her room at Maryann's B&B. She ran her hands over Eric's bare chest, tracing each line of muscle and bone. The hours they had together were never enough. It was more than his lovemaking. Sookie craved him; his voice, his scent, the feel of him under her fingers. She tried to pretend everything about her living in Slievemore was fine for his sake; describing the house, her new and renewed friendships with the people of Slievemore, anything to keep him talking.

"I will be happy to see them go," he'd confided before pulling her against him, settling her as a prelude to soothing her to sleep. It was their agreement. She wouldn't meet the dawn with him, because it meant she'd cry.

"I can't stand it," he told her. "The sadness I feel from you. It makes my being apart from you harder to bear."

Thanksgiving passed. Maryann found a turkey and Sookie made an American Thanksgiving for their Slievemore friends. They invited some of the contractors and Brian, the 'fixer,' along with his wife and family. The tables in the breakfast room of the B&B were all placed end to end and for Sookie, it was a wonderful night. They laughed and played cards. It was perfect…almost. Pam was in Carrack, and Eric? Eric was somewhere to the East, tending to a problem he'd only explained in the vaguest terms. Sookie hadn't bothered setting him a chair. It was too much to hope for.

Every few days, Octavia came to visit. They had their 'fencing' lessons in the garage in back of the house. Sookie ran through her magics and Octavia attacked her each time, forcing that magic to work against Sookie, allowing Sookie to find ways to wrest control back. It was as exhausting as the old witch told Sookie it would be.

She'd wake the next morning, her eyes glue, but Sookie had to admit that she was anything but bored. Every day was filled with tasks and duties. Most mornings were spent meeting with the contractors and inspecting progress at the Goat Road house. The back yard was filling with the extension that would contain the new kitchen and dining area. The old kitchen was swallowed into the front room and plans were made to build in shelving to hold Eric's books. One bedroom was kept and the other transformed into an office space with built-in desks. Wiring, plumbing, flooring…the house was a mess of plaster and broken spaces. It was the season of raw, ocean cold, and Sookie often returned to the Shores from her time in town, her hands aching.

Afternoons found Sookie spending hours at her laptop, ordering the next round of supplies for work at the house, and then starting her bookkeeping duties. As Maryann predicted, her services were in demand. Word of mouth spread, and Sookie had to stop accepting customers. In addition to Pam and Maryann, she now handled the accounting for Brian, one of the electricians working on the house, and two gift shop owners from town.

Nights were hardest. Sometimes, Sookie continued to work until well past dinner, her shoulders tired and her eyes aching from staring at screens, but it was easier than facing her empty bed.

The week before Christmas, Eric announced he would be taking her to the Queen's ball. It was an annual event Sophie-Ann hosted. Sookie knew that sometimes vampires from other countries attended, and Eric told her Robert, the King she'd met in Boston would be coming to escort his new Sheriffs home. "Good riddance," Pam had muttered when Sookie mentioned it.

Pam brought dresses out to the B&B for Sookie's inspection. Alterations were made and Sookie was forced to walk on a series of heels until both Maryann and Pam were satisfied she had the perfect pair. "Miss the chains?" Pam teased her. Sookie pretended to be angry, but, in truth, she was nervous. The two times she'd been to a vampire Court hadn't gone well for her.

The night before the big event arrived. Eric would be arriving, but not until later. He was coming from the other coast and there had been frost. Sookie found herself standing on the seawall across the street from the B&B, looking out across the harbor. She shoved her hands deeper into her pockets, staving off the cold. Off to her left, the lights of Slievemore twinkled in the still air, the town settling into their night. In the last rays of day, she stared across the waves and realized she was looking at a herd of seals. They were not that far off shore, bobbing in the waves. As she watched them, their eyes started to glow; nothing persistent, just a flash, first from one and then from another. For one wild moment, Sookie wondered what it would be like to join them. Somewhere in the back of her head, she could almost hear them calling to her, but she regained herself, and shaking her head, stepped back from the wall.

"Eric's coming," she told no one in particular, and then realized she was reminding herself.


	41. Chapter 40 - Butter Up

**Chapter 40 – Butter Up**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Author's Note** : Thank you for your patience. My vacation to Edinburgh was lovely. I hiked Arthur's Seat and gained a new appreciation for whiskey and walking. No more trips planned until May 2018 when I'll return to Ireland for the Kerry Circle.

At first, the time of atonement had filled Eric with a silent fury. The timelines and tasks on the Queen's list took every waking hour and a great deal of ingenuity, but soon Eric had reached smoother waters. Hard work was part of it, but a part was also his legendary luck that caused circumstances to present themselves. Things between himself and the Queen had resolved more quickly than he'd hoped. ' _But you have Robert to thank for that, too_ ,' he smiled.

Part of his success was due to his past. He had played this game before. Eric might have railed against Sophie-Ann, cursing her for his fate, but, if he was being perfectly honest, he had to acknowledge that part of the blame lay with him. It was a pattern. His life would be going well, and then some opportunity would come along and he'd be unable to turn away. He would be tempted by possibilities and, in the end, he'd manage to offend someone, usually the person who held authority over him. Eric could count off six of those instances without even trying. Now, this one, accepting Niall's offer to pledge to his Granddaughter, added to his list.

Of course, 'this one' was different. None of the other clusterfucks he'd inflicted on himself had resulted in a bonded mate. ' _My wife_ ,' he purred, embracing the words and emotions that came with them. When Eric was relaxed and had time to bask, it was a most pleasant thought. Sookie was pleasant. She suited him in most particulars. She was adventurous, even aggressive in bed, her work ethic matched his own, and she wasn't afraid to tell him when she disagreed with him. As angry as he became, he had to admit he enjoyed fighting with her.

It was how he'd grown up. In his Father's house, they fought. He fought for food, he fought to be heard, he fought for respect. He learned to use weapons, both sharp-edged and sharp-tongued. The women of his youth were as quick-witted and staunch-hearted as the men, sometimes more. Eric believed that rare combination of clever, brave, and caring in females had disappeared into another age. The women he'd met since being turned never fought him. They simpered; they demanded. They were soft. They were not Viking.

Sookie was.

She was also something else. There was her magic.

The door to his office opened, interrupting his thoughts, and the two American Sheriffs walked in, grumbling and sullen. ' _Five more nights_ ,' Eric reminded himself. In five more nights, these twin thorns would be turned over to their spymaster and this charade would come to an end.

Eric had stopped resting with them within nights of their arrival. Had Dion and James legitimately been in Ireland for training as Sheriffs, Eric might have remained, even encouraged their nesting. There was a bonding that happened between nestmates. Nestmates shared blood as well as beds and the experience created an aura that was picked up by other vampires. It signaled allegiances and mutual defense arrangements, but Eric sensed almost immediately that Dion and James were not what they claimed.

As he assessed them in that first week, Eric wondered what had inspired Robert to choose these two. Eric found the candidates not just incompetent; he found them unsuitable. Robert and Eric were not friends nor allies, but they did know each other. At various points in their long lives, they had even worked together. Eric knew his Maker thought well of Robert, which was why it was easy to believe that after his time in America, Robert would feel the need to test Eric. It was in character for Robert to send two bumblers, waiting to see if Eric had the strength and ingenuity needed to transform them.

To be a Sheriff required tremendous discipline. Being vampire meant you were assailed with sensations. You heard with perfect, sometimes painful, clarity. You smelled every scent for miles around and with such intensity that you could taste the scent as though it coated your tongue as well as your nostrils. The world of a vampire was a series of distractions, each one more beguiling than the next.

Sheriffs had to be able to separate themselves from all that. It is a Sheriff's job to acknowledge the world of sensations, but, rather than immersing oneself, to dissect and define. Of all the scents he or she experienced, a Sheriff had to be able to pick through and find the one scent that mattered. Instead of glamouring to gain consent, a Sheriff has to use strategy and patience to discover the one truth. It took specific qualities for a vampire to succeed as a Sheriff and Eric saw few of those qualities in either Dion or James.

Most people thought of vampires as violent, but, in fact, vampires preferred glamour to subdue their victims, taking what they needed, and fading into the night. It was trained into them, the need for secrecy and stealth. Every vampire knew that calling attention to oneself was a quick way to find a pointy object and nothing attracted attention like a damaged body and blood. It was one of the reasons most vampires shied away from torture. The fresh scent of blood triggered too many needs. The point of torture was not to kill the victim, at least, not quickly. Once the blood started to flow, the desire to drain could be overwhelming. Restraining oneself was one of the hardest things a Sheriff had to do, which was what kept Eric guessing for a bit. Dion and James excelled at torture.

What they didn't excel at were all the other tasks and duties a Sheriff was expected to perform. Eric allowed the new recruits two mistakes apiece, then started meting out physical reminders. He started with small punishments: a broken finger, a bloody nose. After the recruits failed at improving, the punishments became more severe, and then more inventive. Finally, Eric resorted to Appius' old trick; he made them damage each other, which finally resulted in the right impression.

Of the two, Dion was the more plausible candidate. He, at least, made an effort to focus, sometimes catching the subtle clues around him. James was wholly unbelievable. His attention shifted at lightning speed from one thing to the next, his eyes taking in everything. He questioned as well, his appetite for facts and figures an irritant.

Eventually, the Viking came to the decision that Dion and James were not meant to be Sheriffs. ' _Of course, by then you'd got what you came for_ ,' Eric thought, looking at the two.

Dion started swearing again, the words flowing out in a soft hiss they were meant to ignore. "Done?" Eric barked. James and Dion stopped their work to look at him, their eyes shooting daggers. ' _If looks could kill_.' It was one of Sookie's phrases and the thought of her made his lips twitch. "Work!" Eric ordered.

The Sheriff candidates turned back to their task, noisily poking at their keyboards, working through tall piles of paperwork. It was the part of a Sheriff's job the Viking liked least, completing the endless forms and narratives and everyone knew it. It was why the Queen's order specified Eric had to do all his own paperwork. Of course, he'd put it off. In truth, he'd been putting it off even before these two miscreants arrived, so it had accumulated. Now that he was back in the Queen's good graces, Eric was free to turn over this part of his job. It seemed only fitting that the Sheriff candidates should spend their last nights in Ireland glued to computer terminals, catching up Eric's backlog. It almost made up for the trouble they'd caused with them.

Eric stretched, thinking back to his first clue as to the Sheriffs' real purpose in Ireland. It started with their unexplained disappearances. Eric would track them down, checking up, only to find the Sheriff candidates weren't working together. Night after night, one or the other would be missing. "He needed to feed," was a common excuse. "He's checking into something we found," was another excuse. Sometimes the offending Sheriff would return quickly. More often, the offending Sheriff was gone for hours.

' _If they were really smart, they would have known I'd have them followed_ ,' Eric thought. Even now, James and Dion seemed oblivious to their peril. In all the many weeks they'd been traveling far and wide, they didn't seem to grasp the need to take even simple precautions. Of course, Eric's watchers were skilled, but it was a poor excuse of a vampire who didn't make the slightest effort to throw a tracker from their scent.

Eric's people first reported seeing the Sheriff candidates in nearby towns, but, as nights passed, reports came back to Eric with stories that Dion and James were spreading their range in an ever-widening circle. Some sightings were so far north or south, Eric started to wonder if one or both of his guests had the gift of flight. Because Eric's watchers were also vampire, they couldn't get too close without being detected, but on occasion, one would report finding themselves having been witness to meetings with locals, including vampires and Fae. Another time, Dion set up in a pub, using a laptop that he glamoured from a woman, typing for hours before wiping the browser history and leaving. Eric started to map the reports, tracking the vampires' movements and within a month, a grid formed.

"They are assessing the kingdom," Eric announced. He handed Andre the map and described what his employees were telling him. "I think our Sheriffs are an advance guard. Robert is planning a takeover."

Andre was openly skeptical, and Sophie-Ann laughed out loud. She hurled insults and told Eric he was imagining things. It took hours of arguing and cajoling before the Queen agreed to allow Eric to contact Niall Brigant, cashing in the favor the Fae King gave in exchange for her offering protection to Sookie.

"Niall can bring you the assistance of the Seelie and his allies. They can get closer to my American charges and they have a wider territory. With their help, you will know whether Dion and James are just spies, or if I am right, and they plot for your final death. Wouldn't you like to know?" Eric pressed.

Sophie-Ann made Eric wait before giving her consent, but, in the end, the map and her own paranoia won.

Eric made the call and Niall's answer was a return call to the Queen's private number.

Andre answered and held the phone up so they could all hear. "Tell your Queen I am most willing to provide this favor," Niall replied. "I will direct my own people and I will ask the assistance of all my allies, for which I will ask nothing in return." It was a Princely gesture, causing Sophie-Ann and Andre's eyes to meet.

"Surely there is something you wish," Eric asked, voicing the question he knew hung over them.

"I give this willingly," Niall assured them. "Your Queen extended my Granddaughter protection when she needed it. She gave my Granddaughter the gift of bonding to her most trusted Sheriff. I consider these kindnesses to set the balance level between us."

And Eric knew he'd won. Sophie-Ann's shocked look and Andre's satisfied smile told him he wouldn't need worry about his future. He would be reinstated, and he'd won acceptance for Sookie in the world of vampires as well.

Within hours, reports were flying in from all over the island. Dion and James' wandering over the past weeks had taken them even farther than Eric realized, their nightly routines a complex network of intersecting tracks. Various Fae had spotted the strange vampires in all sorts of places. Eric's people were restricted to towns where their presence was expected. Niall's Fae were different. It was the way of the Seelie to be on the roads or in barren places at night. There were Fae who lingered at wells or under bridges, in groves of trees and in the glens. They noticed things and their memories were sharp.

The map in Andre's hand was improved. Timelines were developed and Eric's suspicions were borne out.

Now that the Fae were mobilized, it didn't take long to identify those Dion and James visited more than once. Wybert and Sigebert were dispatched to pick up two of the vampires the Sheriff candidates had visited for questioning. Eric called in Pam and they spent a night in the basement of the Queen's palace, 'entertaining' the would-be accomplices.

Within hours, the two were betraying Dion and James. "They promised me money," one hapless vampire wailed, "and a lifetime reprieve from tithes. I am barely making it here!"

"This Queen asks too much!" the other cried through broken teeth. "There is wealth here for someone with the ambition to take it."

"Fools," the Queen fumed. Lists of those under suspicion were made. Xavier, Eric's fellow Sheriff, was added. Even though Xavier was in England, Andre confirmed to Eric that his colleague had been identified as feeding Robert information in the months before Eric's trip to America.

"Mostly gossip," Andre confirmed. "Nothing overt, but in view of what's happened, it might have been with purpose."

"I can't believe Xavier would betray us," Pam told Eric as they were cleaning up together in the bathroom next to the Queen's dungeons.

Eric agreed, "Still, there will be extra measures put in place around him, just in case." There was no sign the spying had continued, which was the reason Xavier was told to stay away from the Summit. Had he been summoned, Eric knew the fate that would have awaited his former friend.

As Eric dropped his blood-soaked boots into the bin, he couldn't help asking, "Headed back to Slievemore?"

"She misses you," Pam answered, reading her Maker's mind.

Eric nodded. ' _Not yet_ ,' he reminded himself, then found he was staring at the blood on his hands. "I wonder if she would miss me so much if she saw me now."

Pam laughed, "Don't underestimate her, Eric. Sookie has an amazing capacity to adapt. This is your job. You should trust her."

He chuckled, "Sookie says the same thing." They had a few hours before Pam had to leave and Eric pressed her to fill him in with the details of Sookie's work. Eric received texts from his wife and sometimes pictures, telling him of her days, but it wasn't enough. Pam described the ongoing work at the house on Goat Street, Eric making her describe Sookie's reactions, even down to the expressions on his Lover's face. While he was pleased to hear the shortages at the Carrack Ghoul's Kiss had stopped, he was more pleased to hear Sookie's part in discovering them. Pam launched into a word by word recounting of her dinner the night before with Maryann and Sookie. Pam was a credible mimic and with her perfect memory, she voiced each part, until Eric placed his hand on his chest, "Stop."

It was hard watching his Child leave that night, knowing she would see his mate. ' _Soon_ ,' he promised himself.

Nights passed. Eric continued to 'work' with the Sheriffs. He turned just enough of a blind eye to allow them to continue their wandering, but not enough of a blind eye to raise suspicions. Between Eric's network and Niall's, there was nowhere Dion and James went, no one they spoke with who wasn't noted and reported. Names were taken and weaknesses found. The Americans were giving Sophie-Ann and Andre a blueprint they could follow to shore up the kingdom's defenses for another hundred years.

"I can't believe it," Sophie-Ann exclaimed as they went over the most recent reports. "Whatever is Robert thinking? He's all the way over there, an ocean away! Does he really think he can stage a take-over and have it last?"

"Technology changes things," Andre observed.

"I agree," Eric added. "Robert has never lacked for ambition…or imagination."

They all knew it to be true. It had been many years since Robert left the continent for America. He was one of the first of the European vampires to risk what was then a hazardous ocean voyage to the New World. He landed in New York and swiftly asserted his claim, creating safe havens for their kind, pushing out rivals.

Over the ensuing centuries, Robert expanded his territory. He staged bloody takeovers of surrounding kingdoms, killing rivals. When the Industrial Revolution gave way to World War I, he changed. The Robert of old, acquisitive and savage, morphed into a tailored man who wore a more civilized face. His taking of territory slowed, trade agreements replacing coups. Those in America settled into a network of Clans and disputes started to settle with Summits rather than assassinations.

Still, Robert's kingdom extended over all of New England and part of New Jersey. There were persistent rumors he had staged a bloodless coup in Philadelphia and was ruling through a puppet King.

"I think he believes this time of technology will allow him to spread his wings overseas to us," Andre mused. "There are ties between our territory and his, at least historically. As for his intent? We are seeing the proof presented nightly."

"Thanks to Eric," Sophie-Ann purred.

"Thanks to Eric," Andre agreed.

Eric almost purred at the memory. He looked at the Sheriff candidates through narrowed eyes. He hungered for his mate, but he also knew he needed to maintain the charade. In five nights, Robert would arrive for the Queen's Summit and the performance would be over. Five nights was not so high a price to pay when Eric thought of all he gained.

High on the list was winning Sophie-Ann's complete support, but, more importantly, he now had Andre's gratitude as well. All knew that Sophie-Ann's moods were mercurial. If you wished to be on solid ground, you needed to have the support of her Second. Once the Summit was over, there would be no question of Eric hiring and training more Sheriffs. Once more, Ireland would be patrolled by vampires whose first loyalty would be to him. He would train them, nesting until the bonds were strong.

Where the cost of maintaining more Sheriffs might have given the Queen pause, there was another benefit that even Eric had not anticipated.

Niall Brigant approached Andre about formalizing business ties between their people. "As you know, I am faced with challenges, safe-guarding my brother's kingdom as well as my own during Rogan's time of sorrow. We have a need for night managers in my hotels, cleaning crews. Perhaps your people…"

It was unprecedented. All knew the Seelie didn't trust or like vampires. Brigant had laughed when Andre asked him to repeat the offer, but talks were underway. Penalties for transgressions would be high, "But if Eric Northman can make this work, surely Kings and Queens can do no less." The benefits were more than simply financial. Ireland was a country that didn't have many all-night businesses. Vampires flocked to those jobs that were available, pubs, office cleaning, and merchandise stocking, but the opportunities were not enough to employ all Sophie-Ann's subjects. Opening the hotel trade was a handsome offer and Eric knew the Queen was already plotting ways to spend her future tithes.

' _Maybe I can hire an extra Sheriff and just supervise_ ,' Eric smiled, as he watched the piles of folders slowly shrink.

Another benefit was Pam's place here in Ireland was now secure. His Child would be welcomed to choose any post and Sophie-Ann would agree. If Eric wanted to leave Ireland at some point in the future, his Child could rest assured she had the trust of this Queen. Pam was free to make her own way, and that meant leverage for arrangements with other kingdoms as well. ' _Free_.' It gave Eric pause. He had long supported Pam, telling her his goal was to establish her so he could truly cut her loose, assured that none would deny her opportunities. Now, that was a reality, and he found it wasn't entirely pleasing. It made no sense. What Maker didn't wish to see his Child become independent? ' _Perhaps she isn't ready_ ,' he wondered, but he knew that wasn't right, so he filed his confusion away to discuss with Sookie.

Sookie.

For some reason, Eric remembered his Father returning from a long journey. Eric had been young, sleeping in his Mother's bed, keeping her warm. His Father had cast aside the heavy curtain, his face alight, words tumbling from his lips. Eric would hear the stories of that voyage from his Father many times over the following weeks, but he'd been struck that of everyone, the person his Father had most wanted to tell was his Mother.

In the years that followed, Eric returned from his own voyages. He told many stories around the hall fires, but he never understood why his Father always made a special effort to find his Mother first. Now, he did.

Thinking of his lovely mate, Eric found his hand reaching for his crotch. He stopped himself with a growl that earned a glance from James and Dion. "Work!" Eric barked again, but in the next minute, his lips curved up. He couldn't help it.

' _She will be honored by all_ ,' he thought. ' _I have won and soon I will tell her_.' He imagined how her eyes would warm and how she, of all people, would understand what this meant to them. Some part of him thought he might be setting his expectations too high, but he assured himself that the bond would fill in any gaps in understanding between them.

' _But it wasn't the bond that made her shame you in Boston_.' Eric remembered how Sookie had fought with him, refusing his offer to follow her into the Shadowlands. ' _She places me before herself_ ,' he mused, replaying his mate's words and gestures. ' _She loves me_ ,' he smiled. He opened his eyes to the Sheriff candidates' stares. "What are you looking at?" Eric snarled. "Are you done? The Queen would like to hear you give oral reports as well." That snapped them back to task, but Eric couldn't help seeing Sookie's face before him again. "Mine," his lips whispered.

 **xxXXXxxx**

Eric arrived at Seacoast Shores, driving a new, red Corvette. It was the latest model, low and sleek. He took the dress bag and suitcase from Pam, moving too swiftly. Sookie could feel Eric's excitement. He was almost giddy.

"Nice ride," Sookie offered.

Eric didn't reply to her, but he was grinning like a loon. "I'll see you tomorrow night," he said instead to Pam.

"You're sure you can't come?" Sookie asked Maryann.

"I promised my sisters," Maryann repeated her excuse. Pam would be going to the Summit, but Sookie couldn't help feeling down about it. She was sure she'd be the only non-vampire at the Queen's court. She'd be a lone minnow, swimming in an ocean of sharks.

"Come, Sookie," Eric pressed. He offered her his hand and when she took his, he tucked her hand through his arm, escorting her toward the car.

"It really is lovely," Sookie told him and she could feel from his reaction how pleased he was with her words.

"I've wanted one for some time," he confided before adding, "I can't wait to see you sitting in it."

Sookie allowed him to hand her into her seat. She waited until he was in the driver's seat before giving him the words she knew he wanted to hear. "It's beautiful, Eric. I love it."

"You are beautiful," he told her and taking her hand, he kissed her palm. His eyes traveled and his fangs dropped. "I want you," he told her.

The pull was undeniable. "Get out of town first," Sookie told him. "There's that hilltop, you know the one." It was a dirt road that cut off the paved road, leading to a hilltop that looked out over the ocean.

"The car may not make it," he frowned.

"We can leave it on the road if you want," Sookie grinned.

He didn't. Eric picked his way up the rutted trail, only bottoming out once. He parked the Vette so the hood faced away from the expanse of dark that was sea and stars meeting. Leaving the headlights on, he leaned Sookie over the hood, freeing breasts and then pushing her pants to fall to her ankles. He left her coat on, pushing up the back just enough to give him access. The first time didn't last long, but the second did, Sookie staring at the stars over his shoulder as he found ways to make her fly.

"You seem happier," Sookie sighed, basking in the afterglow.

"All is right with our world, Älskade. Soon, you will see that for yourself." Eric was looking down at her, his eyes glowing. He picked up a tendril of her hair, twirling it between his fingers. "You will stand beside me at the Summit. You will wear your wedding jewels. Everyone will see that the real gem is you."

"Sure we can't just skip it?" Sookie asked, not for the first time, but when Eric opened his mouth to answer, she hurried to add, "Just kidding! Really, it's okay!"

But it wasn't. Not for her.

Sookie could feel the nervousness that had been plaguing her return. When the Summit had been a week away, she barely thought of it. Even two nights ago, she'd been okay, but now, with the Summit only one night away, she found she needed to distract herself. Sookie watched the landscape slip past them once they were back on the road. She tried to focus on talking with Eric, describing the progress she was making with the Slievemore house. "It will be finished by Christmas," she proudly proclaimed.

"How excited you are," Eric remarked. "You see, it isn't so hard to have more than one property. Having the means to be able to change surroundings, buying what you wish is pleasurable."

Sookie's eyes narrowed, "Is that why you gave me that wreck?" she asked. "So you could tempt me into becoming some kind of rich bitch? That was really sneaky! I am never turning into Amelia! I don't care how many sad house makeovers you throw at me!"

"Of course," Eric purred, but his lip curled, thinking of the amounts of money his Sookie had already spent and the improvements she had made, never asking about the bill.

"I mean it, Northman!" Sookie grumbled, but, after a bit, she couldn't help herself. She gave him a side-eye and admitted, "I do really love the place."

They were almost at Ballytyne and as they pulled up the driveway, the lights were on. "How…?" Sookie asked.

"I had Ian open it for us," Eric grinned. "There is food in the kitchen…everything to make our stay here pleasant."

He was around the car in an instant, pulling her to him. "I have missed you," he whispered, not hiding the hardness he pressed against her.

"You can miss me all you want," Sookie sighed, touching his cheek.

Later, as they lay in the canopy bed in the upstairs bedroom, Eric fed her sips of champagne so he could delicately lick it from her lips. The room was lit with candles and the peat glowed on the fireplace grate. "I want it to be like this for us, forever," Sookie told him, stroking Eric's face.

"For us, it will," Eric assured her.

Sookie rose late, not surprising as Eric and she had stayed awake until he'd literally fallen from her, caught in his day death. She was fixing her second cup of coffee when the door opened and Ian stepped in.

"I'm sorry!" he apologized. "I thought you might still be upstairs. I should have texted to let you know I was coming."

"Human needs," Sookie shrugged, holding up her coffee cup.

Ian had a couple bags in hand, "I'll just take these through," he explained. Sookie could see one was a clothing bag, and she assumed the other involved other items for Eric. Ian walked past her and before she could offer him tea, headed back outside, returning with a flower arrangement, and then, another. It started to look like a comedy. Ian placed blush pink roses on the dining room table where she was seated, and then red roses in the family room. There were more pink roses for the library and a nosegay of yellow roses and baby's breath for her desk upstairs.

"We planning for a funeral?" Sookie quipped.

"He's happy to see you," Ian shrugged, then added, "You're a lucky woman."

"What's going on?" Sookie asked. "I thought Eric was in trouble and now, there's a new car and all these flowers? I'm sure you…"

"You'll have to ask him," Ian interrupted. "This is between you and Mr. Northman."

Ian declined tea, probably guessing Sookie would try to ply him with questions. Alone and fretting, Sookie found herself staring out the window. She looked at the roses and thought of the confidence she'd felt from Eric last night. ' _What does it mean?_ ' she kept asking herself. ' _Could be its just what Ian said_? _Eric's happy to see you. You know he loves his gestures_ ,' and she ran her finger over the creamy surface of a rose petal.

' _Or it could mean he's in big trouble and making the best of it for my sake_ ,' the doubting part of her suggested.

When she felt the faint stirrings of Eric returning to her, Sookie ran upstairs, running the bath and setting the stage. It wasn't entirely for his benefit. She figured if she worked this right, he'd spill whatever was going on. ' _Did I tell him I hate secrets?_ ' she asked herself, pinning her hair up, knowing how he loved to watch it spill over his fingers. ' _Would he really keep it from me if he was in trouble?_ ' she asked her reflection, but she already knew the answer. He would and he had.

She was barely settled in the tub before he appeared at the door. His eyes swept over her, his lip curled, and she marveled again at how surreal it seemed that someone this beautiful found her beautiful, too.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known," he told her, echoing her thoughts in that uncanny way he had.

"You are very sweet to say it," Sookie stammered, turning pink under his gaze.

Almost before she realized what had happened, she was settling back against him, the water sloshing over the edges of the tub in Eric's haste to join her. His hard length ran up her back, but he seemed content to take the cloth and scrub her. "How long did you rest?" he asked.

"Late," she smiled. "I had a really late lunch. Ian was here. Thank you for the flowers."

"He brought the other things?" Eric asked.

"Your clothes? Yup, they're in the front closet," and Sookie reached for another washcloth.

"Did you check them?" and Eric's hands stilled.

"No," and Sookie turned around to look at Eric. "Why? I didn't think…"

"It's fine," and easy, happy Eric was back. "I didn't expect you to."

Sookie twisted around, "Okay, I've had enough of this. What's going on? New car? Flowers? What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing!" Eric laughed, turning Sookie back in his arms. "Everything is fine, I promise you. Trust me!"

And there it was. It was on the tip of Sookie's tongue to tell him to cut the crap, but he was laughing, that way she heard so rarely. There was no undertone, no agenda. Eric Northman was happy.

They helped each other dress. Eric proved remarkably adept at twisting her hair up. "I was once involved with a theater troupe," he volunteered, meeting her questioning look. His fingers tied his bow tie without his checking once and Sookie found herself marveling yet again at this amazing man who was hers.

As she turned toward the bedroom door, Eric stayed her. He walked her to her dressing table and pressed her to sit. Walking behind her, he draped the necklace she'd received from the Fae around her neck. The many diamonds caught up in the fine threads of chain sparkled in the bedroom lights. Sookie laid her hand over his before reaching for the earrings. She fastened them in place and looked up to see Eric in the mirror. He was watching her, and she realized he was holding something.

"For you," he said and moved his hand.

Sookie turned around. He was holding a ring box. A band encrusted with diamonds held a single marquis ruby. It shone almost black until Eric moved, and then Sookie saw the red glow flickering. Her eyes flew to him, "It's…" and her voice failed her. ' _I'm living a fairy tale,_ ' she thought, standing to reach for him.

He held her hand, his thumb rubbing over the ring he'd slid in place the whole drive, only loosing her hand when he had to shift gears. Sookie felt so starry-eyed, she forgot to be nervous until they pulled up the wide drive to the Queen's palace. Eric was out of the car, taking her hand within seconds of their arrival. Pam was on the front step, awaiting them.

"Red really is your color," she assured Sookie, forgoing the bow in favor of a hug. "I am pleased for you my Maker," she said far more formally to Eric. She bowed her head and Eric pulled Pam close, kissing her forehead.

"It is a night of triumph for us both," he replied, somewhat mysteriously.

One of the huge vampires Sookie remembered from her previous visit was standing near the front door. "Keeping the riff raff out?" Pam joked.

"No longer includes you," the giant growled and Pam laughed.

It was all around them. Heads bowed as they passed. Beautifully dressed vampires nodded, politely averting their eyes, but it seemed more a sign of respect than anything else. They walked through the hall, Eric's hand securing her arm in place through his. Still, Sookie couldn't help feeling the sweat prickle under her arms as they approached the Queen's throne.

Instead of a haughty woman, though, the vampire Queen came down the steps, all smiles. "My favorite Sheriff!" she trilled, and then she looked directly at Sookie, "And his most beautiful Bonded. Welcome!" and she bowed her head. Eric bowed lower and he pulled Sookie to do the same. When she straightened, the courtiers around them applauded.

"Eric?" Sookie questioned.

"Dance with me," he answered.

"I will tell you everything," he promised, holding her close. "Later, when we're home. For now," and he raised her fingers to his lips, "Enjoy it, min hustru. This is our moment."

It was like a fairy tale. Sookie danced and danced, Eric refusing to give her up to any other. When she finally asked for a drink, Eric escorted her from the dance floor. He signaled a waiter and Sookie found a tray with a single plastic bottle of water. It looked a little odd in such an elegant setting, but, then again, maybe not. There was a scattering of other humans around them, but Sookie knew they were definitely in the minority.

"Good evening," the vampire called Andre greeted her with a small bow. He turned to Eric, "Robert will be here shortly. You are ready?"

"Of course," and Eric nodded, looking away. Sookie followed his gaze to see Bobby Burnham, Eric's former Dayman walking toward them.

"You're vampire," Sookie said aloud. She'd known, but seeing the change in Bobby surprised her anyway.

Sookie was sure Bobby was about to say something nasty, but his eyes flicked to Eric and he said, "And I am most grateful," instead.

"Stay with Bobby," Eric told her. "I will return shortly."

Sookie found herself standing alone with Bobby, but that didn't last long. Other vampires started to rather purposely drift near, chatting with Bobby, and then making a point of being introduced. ' _I'm a celebrity_ ,' Sookie began to realize. The reception was so different from the one she'd had before, both here and in Boston, that she kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"You will be a more regular visitor, I'm sure," another vampire was saying.

"I'm not sure," Sookie stammered. "I live in Slievemore," and she blushed, fearing she'd broken some rule or other.

"Our loss," the vampire replied, as smooth as silk. "Don't let Northman keep you all to himself."

He glided off to be replaced by a tall, pale woman. "Felicia," she bowed, introducing herself. "I hope Bobby has been his usual charming self.

"My Maker," Bobby purred, bowing back. Sookie stared at Felicia, now that she knew who she was. Bobby was making some small talk, assuring the woman that he was doing his best to keep up with the stellar Ms. Stackhouse. Sookie smiled, ignoring the oversight, trying to compare the relationship she was seeing to Pam and Eric's. She concluded there was something missing, although she knew she had no real basis for making that assumption.

"I must ask your pardon," Felicia interrupted Sookie's thoughts. "I will bring Bobby back in a few minutes. Do you mind?"

"Not a problem," Sookie replied, actually relieved. It had been some time since Eric left her, so she was beginning to become curious.

As soon as Bobby and Felicia wandered away, Sookie headed in the direction Eric and Andre had taken. There was a short hallway and within a few steps, she heard Eric saying, "Surely you didn't think we wouldn't notice."

Another step brought her to the partially open door. She could see Eric's back. Robert, the King from Boston was there along with Pam, Andre and two vampires she didn't know.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Robert said, his voice aggrieved. "If you are making an accusation, be clear. Honestly, Eric. I don't know what has happened to you. Your Maker…"

"Trained me well," Eric interrupted. "My Maker is a great vampire."

"Don't insult us," Andre hissed. "These idiots underestimated us. We have proof of what they've been doing…"

"What you ordered them to do," Sophie-Ann added. "Really, Robert. I expected better of you." She waved her hand as though brushing away a fly.

In the blink of an eye, there was a sword in Eric's hand and the heads of the two strangers came off their shoulders, as smoothly as any cartoon, except cartoons didn't have sheets of blood that sprayed across the room, or twitching bodies falling awkwardly forward, limbs twitching. It was over in an instant, but Sookie found she couldn't pull her eyes away. It was then Eric noticed her.

He was in her head, lacing himself through her shock. Her mouth closed and fell open again. She looked at her feet to find a head staring blankly up at her. She wanted to scream, but everything seemed locked in place.

"Let's get you cleaned up," Pam said, suddenly beside her. "I don't know if we'll be able to wash the blood out of that silk. It may stain." She tugged harder, trying to make Sookie's feet move.

Sookie closed her eyes and just shutting out the horror allowed one foot to step, and then the other. Pam had her arm in a vise grip and when Sookie slipped, almost falling on her heels, Pam kept her upright. "Only a few more steps," she hissed. "Come on."

They were in a Ladies' Room, which seemed strange since vampires didn't need to use the stalls. There were a few though, seated at the long counter, touching up makeup and hair. "We need the area," Pam snarled, and the women rose and left.

"Sit," Pam ordered and Sookie's legs gave way.

In another minute, Eric was there. He walked, stalked really, advancing slowly. He stopped at the sink and washed his hands. His shirt sleeves were covered in blood, and he held his arms under the water, rinsing until the stain was pink. He kept looking at her and Sookie kept looking back. He was the same man who danced with her earlier, the same one who held her in the bath and made love to her, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw him sweeping the great sword and the blood as the bodies fell.

He made an effort to wring out his shirt sleeves, then turned them up. "Sookie," he said, and walked toward her. He crouched in front of her, but when he took her hands, she couldn't help it. She pulled away. "Watch the door," Eric told Pam. His eyes never left Sookie's.

Once Pam was gone, Eric reached for her hands and held tight. "I wasn't ready for you to know about me," he said.

"You killed them," Sookie stammered, finally finding her voice.

"Yes," Eric nodded. "It was my job."

"To kill people?" Sookie felt a bubble of panic rising in her throat. "That's what you do? Really?"

"Yes," Eric nodded. "They were spies…worse. They were sent here to help Robert invade. If they'd been successful, Sophie-Ann, Andre… Everyone we know would have been killed."

"Do you do that often?" Sookie stammered. She knew she sounded stupid, but the sword swinging kept playing over and over in her head.

"No," Eric shook his head. "Not often. It is a fate saved for only those who place the lives of the Queen's own in jeopardy. Sookie," and he squeezed her hands. "It is expected. I know you think they are dead, but you must understand, they are already dead. The bodies you saw are crumbling to dust. If we were to walk back, you wouldn't find them anymore. Only their fangs will be left."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Sookie demanded. "I…" and she stared at their hands entwined, the ruby he'd placed on her finger winking up at her. "I don't know what to think about this."

"I am asking you to trust me," Eric told her. "Please."

"And what am I supposed to trust here, Eric?" Sookie hiccupped.

"That there is a reason for what I do," he explained. "That when I do something like this, it has a purpose. That I would never hurt you."

It made no sense, but, for some reason, Sookie thought about the Grimm Fairytales she'd read as a child. Some of the stories were happy, but many had a dark side that left her shivering and open-eyed under her blankets. "So, this really is a fairy tale," she said. She could see Eric didn't understand, but she found herself nodding. "I won't say I'm a hundred percent on this, Eric, but I do trust you. At least, I want to."

He stood and drew her up as well. "I love you," he told her. He hesitated, but then he touched the side of her face. "I trust you, too."

She was walking toward the door and it occurred to her that just outside of the Ladies' Room there were vampires who would be dancing. They would walk up to her, making small talk, as if her gown wasn't smeared with blood. "Can we go home?" Sookie asked.

Eric hesitated, "With me?" he asked and Sookie realized he was half-expecting her to reject him.

"Yes, Eric," she answered, making her voice sound surer than she felt. "It wouldn't be home without you."


	42. Chapter 41 - Making Pleasures Small

**Chapter 41 – Making Pleasures Small**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Something had changed. As they drove home, Eric held her hand. He rubbed his thumb across the top, lifting it and pulling her toward him. He kissed her fingers. She was speaking. They were talking. Encouraged, he started to tell her how he'd figured out what the Sheriffs were doing.

Sookie smiled, she laughed, but, for some reason, as she looked at her perfect husband, she was reminded of an incident from her childhood. There was a boy, Tim, who lived next door. She was young, just starting first grade. Her family had moved there recently, another in a long line of first years in new homes, and Tim was her first friend.

He had older brothers, and they teased him, and her. When May Day came, she opened her front door to find a little paper basket hanging on the doorknob. Her name was scrawled on the side in pencil, and there were dandelions tucked in, already fading just a bit. She felt so flattered. It was the first time she felt that odd prickling feeling you get when you realize someone thinks you're pretty. She brought the basket inside to proudly show her mother. "Look!" she'd exclaimed.

And her Mother had. Inside the little paper basket, where Sookie hadn't looked, Tim had loaded it with worms. She figured out later that his brothers put him up to it, but she never looked at Tim the same way again. ' _I've found the worms_ ,' she thought, and she felt that from this point forward, things between her and Eric could never again be quite so perfect.

"Älskade?" he was asking, his cornflower blue eyes watching her.

"I'm sorry, I was just looking at the stars," Sookie lied. "I'm so happy for you."

"For us," he corrected, and she knew that now, he could feel it, too.

They walked into the utility room and Eric stopped her. He wrapped her in his arms and she responded. He was working the fastenings on her dress and he slipped it from her, encouraging her to step away as it puddled around her feet. He opened the cupboard, the one she'd noticed before with all the towels, and removed a large one from a top shelf. "Why don't you head upstairs?" he smiled, cupping her cheek. "Take a shower. I'll join you in a minute."

"What are you going to do?" she asked. He was lifting her dress, dropping it into the covered bin.

He pulled his shirt over his head, not bothering to unbutton it and dropped it in the same bin before advancing. She almost took a step back, but forced herself to stand her ground.

"This is part of our life now," he was saying. He wrapped his arms around her. "What happened is something that is past. It may not seem that way now, but it is a good thing."

"They're dead," Sookie found herself saying again. The other words she'd said earlier, ' _You killed them_ ,' hung in the air between them.

"I think we should take a bath instead," he said. He took her hand and Sookie followed. When he stopped at the door and fell to his knees to remove her shoes, she held onto his shoulder for balance. Even though she knew he didn't need lights, he turned them on anyway, allowing her to see the rooms of their beautiful house and the perfect roses he'd bought her in their perfect vases.

' _Is he the Robber Bridegroom?_ ' she wondered, thinking of a dark tale from Grimm's stories and for a moment as they climbed the stairs, she felt a bubble of panic start to rise, threatening to break open her chest and consume her.

"Sookie?" Eric stopped. He gathered her to him, "Please, Lover. We will talk about this. I will answer your questions. I didn't want you to see that. There was no need."

"It's what you do, isn't it?" Sookie touched his lips. Her fingers were as chilly as his skin, and some part of her that now seemed to be watching from far away wondered if the flesh and blood woman standing on the stairs in her underwear might be in shock.

Eric's eyes seemed flat in the light. "This was a good night for us," he told her, and Sookie could feel his disappointment, laced with anger. "We won!" he insisted.

Sookie closed her eyes, and then opened them. She wondered how she'd sleep with visions of bouncing heads and blood lurking behind her eyelids. "I'm cold," she told him, meaning more than the temperature.

"You are," he agreed, and she knew he meant more than the temperature, too.

Eric walked past her into the upstairs bedroom. He left her standing near the bed. She realized he'd reached some decision and, although he was willing to meet her, the time for patience was over. ' _Am I afraid of him?_ ' she wondered. The thought that she was joined to someone she feared made the bile rise in her throat. ' _Who is he?_ '

Sookie curled her fingers into fists. She knew she wasn't being fair. She couldn't process what she'd seen. Sure, she'd seen people die in movies and on television, but she'd never seen anything like what she'd seen tonight in person. Eric was moving around in the bathroom. She reached for the bond, and then pulled back again. ' _I'm no coward_ ,' she scolded herself, and forced herself to walk into the bathroom and open herself, searching for the emotions that ran between them, but she found none, and she shivered again.

Eric didn't turn. Instead, he adjusted the water temperature, then walked past, barely looking at her as he took towels from the shelves.

"I don't know what to think," Sookie said out loud.

"You need to figure it out," he snapped.

"Nothing I've seen prepared me…" Sookie stammered, but before she could finish, Eric turned around, dropping fangs, holding nothing back.

"You whine like a child!" he snarled. "You have had a year to come to terms with what you are and the world in which you live. What did you think? Did you think we were all some sanitized version of those fairy tales you keep talking about?"

"I didn't…" Sookie tried reaching for Eric, but it was his turn to step back.

"You wish to be human? Choose it! Go back to your Aunt and bury yourself on that backwater farm. Learn to dig dirt and pretend that you can fit in, but stop trying to pretend I am that." Eric dropped his pants and pulled himself to his full height. He crossed his arms across his chest, and Sookie found it easy to imagine this man as a Viking.

"You're right," Sookie admitted. She bit her lip, but then took a deep breath and pushed her chin up. "I don't want to go back, but this…" and she closed her eyes again. "Please, Eric! I'm struggling…please!" and she reached for him.

"Don't cry," and the hard man in front of her bent. He gathered her against him, "You are shivering. Come," and he helped strip her remaining garments and then handed her into the tub. The water was hot, the way they both liked it. Instead of climbing behind her, though, Eric got in the tub so he was facing her. He took her hand, the one that wore the ruby he'd given her, and laid it so her palm was flat against his chest.

"I am going to tell you what it is to be a Sheriff," he told her. "I am not going to protect you from truths anymore. You will listen to what I say, and then you have to choose."

"Choose what?" Sookie asked.

"Whether you wish to be joined to me," he answered.

"I didn't think we had a choice," Sookie pointed out.

"There is always a choice," Eric sniffed. "It would not be easy, but we could live apart. Distance would help."

"You'd leave me?" The words slipped and somewhere her heart was falling through her chest, making it hard to breathe.

"I will not live with someone who can't accept what I am," Eric stated, and Sookie knew he meant it.

He was very still and Sookie realized the bond between them was still as well. She stared at her hand, and she deliberately flexed her fingers, grasping the sparse curls that grew from his chest. "I don't want to leave you," she told him, ignoring all the details to say what was most important.

He nodded and tilting his head back, started, "What you saw tonight was necessary."

"Killing," she choked out the word.

"Carrying out the Queen's justice," Eric restated, and he waited to see if she'd say anything else. When Sookie didn't, Eric continued, "Those two were planning a takeover. Do you know what that is?"

"You told me," Sookie confirmed, "You said they were working for Robert."

Eric ignored her question, instead re-asking his own. "What do you think a takeover is?"

"It's when one of your Kings decides to take over another's kingdom," Sookie answered. "You said that he would kill the Queen…"

"And everyone else who works for her," Eric finished. He made sure he had Sookie's attention, "All would be executed as I executed those spies tonight. All…" and he emphasized the word before saying, "Me, Pam…. You, because you belong to me."

"How can that happen?" Sookie struggled with the concept. "I mean, we don't live in some Stone Age…"

"You live among Supernaturals," Eric pressed again. "Our rules are different. We live forever, until someone ends us. For vampires, we are very hard to kill, almost as hard as Seelie. It means that when we punish, we must make sure it leaves an impression. We torture…"

And Sookie couldn't help the sound that escaped her. "We torture," Eric repeated. "We use physical discomfort, breaking people to enforce the rules. We are powerful and, if left unchecked, we would become threats, both to ourselves and to humans. These are our rules and I…" and Eric leaned forward to make sure she understood him, "I am the enforcer of those rules."

"I thought you didn't like being a Sheriff." Even to her own ears, she sounded small, so Sookie steadied herself before saying in a louder voice, "I thought it was something you did because it meant you didn't have to work too hard."

"I let you think that," Eric nodded, "but, I am suited to this work. I protect my Queen and my kingdom." He lifted her hand and turned it palm up, "I protect what is mine." His eyes met hers, "I have lived this way even before, in my human days. It pleases my sense of honor."

"Does it happen often?" Some part of her head was screaming at her, demanding to know what she meant by rationalizing any part of this, but the larger part of her saw the knight who was willing to kill for Queen and country, and she couldn't help but find him beautiful.

"No," he answered. "Executions are rare." His head tilted to the side and his eyes glittered, "But torture…that is not so uncommon."

Sookie swallowed hard. Finally, she took a deep breath and asked, "How does that work? You catch someone who's breaking a rule and what?"

"It depends on the rule," Eric answered. He dropped her hand and picked up a washcloth. He began to wash her, long strokes down her arms, and then the tops of her legs. "Small rules, not paying tithes, exposing our kind to humans, they get a warning. If they don't correct the issue, broken bones are customary."

"You break bones?" Sookie didn't watch Eric's large hands. It was too easy to think of the power they had to do harm. Instead, she stared into his eyes, willing herself to see him as the man capable of being gentle with her as he was now.

"Vampires heal," he nodded. "Broken bones, particularly small ones; hands, feet, heal quickly. It's painful, but not permanent. Larger crimes have larger punishments." He stopped meeting her eyes, focusing on washing her shoulders, the cloth stroking along her clavicles, "Selling our blood means the loss of body parts." Sookie knew he could feel her stiffen, but he didn't pause, "Again, my Lover, we are vampire. We regrow lost parts. It is impossible for us to change."

"Have you had that done to you?" Sookie asked.

He grinned at her. It seemed so out of context, that he should be talking about something this gruesome and yet find humor, "Several times!"

"What did you lose?" Sookie asked, unable to stop herself.

"A leg, once," Eric shrugged. "It was part of an imprisonment. My captor wanted to make sure I couldn't escape. Of course, he didn't know I had flight," and Eric smirked as if having things cut from him was a game. "Ears, of course, and fingers. I even had a bastard remove my testicles once." Sookie's mouth fell open. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask what had merited that kind of treatment, but she didn't, so Eric shrugged, pretty much confirming her assumption.

"The worst thing a vampire can do to another, though, is remove their fangs," Eric sniffed, returning to his washing.

"Why?" and Sookie took her own cloth, soaped it, and began to wash Eric in return, craving the comfort she felt in being in contact with him.

"It means we can't feed without help," Eric told her. "Remove our fangs and hands and we can starve to death. It is a terrible way to perish. Meeting the sun is better. You find yourself praying for a stake."

"Have you had that done to you?" Sookie asked.

"Twice," Eric told her. "Once, my Maker did it to humble me, and once it was done to serve the ego of a King."

"What happened to that King?" Sookie knew, but she needed to hear it.

"He met my sword, Älskade." Eric squeezed the water from the cloth and hung it over the rail, giving Sookie time to process what he'd told her. "This is what I am," he said. "I serve, and in that role, I am satisfied."

"You don't wish to be King?" Somehow, being King or Queen sounded better. At least if Eric were King, he would be ordering someone else to do these terrible things. It was easier to wrap her head around that idea than the one where this man who read her poetry and owned pubs was also the kind of beast who broke bones and ripped limbs.

"Being what I am suits me," he answered. He stood up, the water sluicing from him. He extended his hand. "What is it to be, Sookie?"

She looked at that hand. She knew that taking it was her promise never to look back. She would be well and truly down the rabbit hole, trusting the rest of her life to a vampire. ' _A vampire you love_ ,' her inner voice reminded her.

Eric waited, and then the bond, which had been mute, seemed to leak. Eric's eyes were cold, but Sookie suddenly felt his hurt. "Eric," she sighed. She could see he misunderstood. He started to turn away, so she grabbed his hand and slipping her human face away, she rose to him as she truly was. "Yes," she told him.

There was no kiss.

Eric stepped from the tub, helping her to do the same, and he stood there. "What?" she asked, but he just watched her until she understood. Taking a towel, she started to dry him. She worked on his arms and then his chest. When she moved around to his back, she grabbed another towel and shoved it at him, "Don't just stand there!"

For a minute, it was normal again, but as she dried his hips, she felt him become watchful again, his hands stilling. His eyes smoldered, but she knew this was her move. If she wanted this, wanted them, she would need to claim him. She'd bruised his heart and nothing less would do.

Lifting her chin, Sookie set her jaw. Holding his eyes, she grasped him firmly.

"You are sure of this?" he asked.

"I love you, Eric," Sookie replied. "Nothing changes that."

His mouth softened, "Min krigare kvinna," he whispered, and he traced the bow of her upper lip with his thumb.

"What does that mean?" she asked, too conscious of his thumb hovering over her mouth.

"My warrior woman," he answered. "My mate," and he pressed his thumb to her lip. Sookie opened her mouth, readily sucking it, running the pad over her teeth. His fangs descended as he stiffened in her hand.

"I love you," Sookie told him again, realizing it was as much to quiet her own misgivings as it was to reassure him.

She knew she wasn't fooling him. He knew some part of her was still reluctant, caught in a never-ending loop that played the sound a blade makes slicing through bone, and the thud a head makes when it hits the floor.

Reaching down, he removed her hand. She tugged him, and he moved toward the bedroom. When they stood at the foot of the bed, he stopped again. Eric was imposing at any time, but this Eric, so stony-faced, was forbidding. Sookie half-expected him to stop her, but he walked backward, sitting down on the mattress when she pushed him. Licking her lips, she steadied herself before climbing up, draping her legs to either side of him. She wrapped her arms around his great head and drew him close. He inhaled as he ran his hands up her flanks, cupping the globes of her bottom, squeezing. When he pushed, she rose, and then sank onto his length. She wasn't fully ready, but a few strokes solved it. He watched her as he moved her, helping her find a slow, steady rhythm. She could feel him, every ridge and curve as he moved within her. He started to thrust with more purpose, fingering her clit, his eyes slitting.

He felt good, as good as he always did, but her mind wouldn't stop. She saw eyes and fangs, she remembered words and the purpose of this mating. With a growl, Eric flipped them over, bringing her leg over his hip and moving deeper. She tried to keep up with him, but as much as she wished it, she couldn't find that point that tipped her from pleasure to bliss.

After a time, Eric stilled. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked.

' _Do I?_ ' she thought. "No," she said. She contracted her muscles, squeezing him within her and was rewarded by his growl.

"You are mine!" he snarled in her ear, and then bit. He was moving at the same time, holding her, possessing her, and her orgasm found her in a great rush, robbing her of breath. She clutched him to her, holding him with arms and pussy, pulling against his fangs until she could feel her blood drip down her neck and over her shoulder.

When he fell from her, he started to lap her wounds. "Don't," she gasped, pushing his face. "I want to see them in the morning."

"Do you need scars to remind you what I am?" he asked. Sookie could feel his storm roiling at the edges of their bond.

"I want to see your marks," she explained, "To remind me that this is my choice."

She could feel his reluctance, but he flopped over on his back, agreeing through his actions. Twisting, she crawled to the head of the bed and pulled at the blankets. "Come on," she called. She could almost see his wry smile as he moved toward her, allowing her to pull the covers over him as well. "Lay back," she ordered, and curled herself into him.

"Your feet are cold," he huffed.

"Better than my other parts, don't you think?" she whispered. Turning her head, she kissed his chest. He was a killer. He tortured. He used a sword, but he was also a man of honor and the man she'd chosen. He'd offered to free her, and she knew he was sincere, but this was where she belonged.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

The marks in daylight were ugly and jagged. The sun was barely over the hill when Sookie rose. She walked carefully from their darkened bedroom, walking downstairs in her robe. She texted Ian, asking him to stay away. She needed to think and having Eric's devoted Dayman around wasn't going to help that.

"This is who you are," Sookie said to her reflection. She stood in the bathroom off the utility room. She had walked out here, coffee in hand, and opened all the cabinet doors. She wondered that she hadn't done it earlier, but she realized she'd known on some level that the secrets of this room would not be something she'd like.

There were two upper cabinets that held towels. The lower cabinets were filled with cleaning supplies and contractor's garbage bags. What she'd assumed was a broom closet held clothing, both men's and women's. The bathroom was no regular half bath, there was a shower in here, and all the surfaces were dark.

He told her last night that he tortured people; killed them. ' _This is where he cleans up_ ,' she realized. Sookie was amazed how calm she felt. Taking a deep breath, Sookie let her human face slip away and she stood tall, angling her head so the bite marks were visible. ' _You're going crazy_ ,' some small part of her scolded, but the larger part of her answered, "It all makes sense now."

She hadn't bitten him last night and he hadn't pressed her to do so. Sookie slipped her shirt. She had a bruise forming on one arm and another low, near her hip. Eric was a strong man, and they were physical in their love-making. Usually, his blood took care of it, but they had been apart more than together these past months. Clearly, the effects were wearing off. ' _I'll have to take care of that_ ,' she thought absently, starting to make a new list of things to do, a list that included the reality of this new life.

"I'm Fae," Sookie told her reflection. She could see the doubt in her own eyes, and so she squared her shoulders, lifted her chin, and declared with more conviction, "I'm Seelie, and I'm bonded to Eric Northman." She slipped her underwear off and stepped back into the utility room. She thought about the woman's robe hanging in the closet and it was in her hand. She thought about the clothes on the floor of the bathroom, sending them to the laundry basket upstairs. She thought about another cup of coffee and her cup was filled. "I am Fae!" she declared, "And I am bonded to Eric Northman!"

On a whim, she willed herself to be on the hill outside. She closed her eyes, thinking of the rocks and ground. She felt the cold on her cheeks and the wind cutting through the thin robe, but when she opened her eyes, she was still in the utility room. Still, when she smelled the sleeve of her robe, she could smell outside, and the fabric was chill against her.

Sookei moved her coffee cup from one end of the counter to the other and back again. Lifting her hand, she summoned her whirlwind. She weaved it with colors and she made it sway. She threw it, first to one side of the room, and then another. She willed it to appear in the kitchen, where she followed it. She caught sight of her appearance in the kitchen window. Her hair was floating around her head, and she seemed to glow. For the first time, she tried to form another column. She tried summoning, and then splitting the original, but nothing worked. ' _So, there is a limitation_ ,' she thought.

She cleaned, she made, she moved items, both heavy and light. She stretched her magic farther than ever before and she owned it, every minute. Sweat dripped between her shoulders and still, she pushed herself, until her fingers started to shake.

"Stop!" she said aloud, and it was enough. Her legs were like Jell-O as she sank into the dining room chair. A single petal fell from the pink roses that sat on the table and almost unconsciously, Sookie slowed its descent, watching each movement, caught in the beauty. When it rested on the table, so did she, leaning forward to lay her cheek against the smooth wood. "I am Fae," she said aloud again, and then touching the wounds on her neck, she told the petal, "and I am bonded to Eric Northman."

She allowed herself the luxury of a few tears. ' _It's okay_ ,' she consoled herself, ' _you should be sad to see one life end. Things are different_.'

When she felt less wobbly, she swiped at her cheeks and went upstairs to her office. She pulled down the shoebox and held those few mementoes she'd found under her Mother's bed. Taking them back to the dining room, she laid out each of the few precious photographs. She studied her Mother's face and her Father's. She thought of the hardships they'd faced. "Did you know what you were?" she asked her Father's laughing photo. He was looking at her Mother and she was looking at him. "You knew you were different," she told him, and she swallowed. "You knew there was danger and you stayed with Mom anyway." She looked at the one photo of her Father with her and Jason, his face proud as he held his children, "And you had children. You were careful. If you didn't believe we couldn't be happy, you wouldn't have made us."

Feeling better, Sookie got a pad of paper and a pencil. She made two columns: 'What's Changed' and 'What Hasn't.' As she stared at the blank page, her stomach growled. ' _Still need to eat_ ,' she wrote in the 'What Hasn't' column and with a wry smile, she headed to the kitchen.

By the time her late lunch was over, the 'What's Hasn't' column had grown. She still needed to work, Pam and Maryann were still her friends, she still wanted a B&B someday. She had a house under construction that needed her supervision and clients that needed their books reconciled. She still loved to be outside and she could walk in both day and night. She loved Eric, even if that love felt a little bruised at the moment. In the end, there was only one thing in the 'What's Changed' column: ' _I Know'_

There were a couple things she'd written before that she'd scratched out. ' _Eric's a Killer'_ she'd scratched out when she decided to be honest. He was what he'd always been. ' _I am a magical creature'_ wasn't a change either. No, in the end, there was only one thing that had shifted in her world, and she still didn't know how she felt about it.

As she looked at her parents' pictures again, she tried to imagine what her Daddy would say. She knew what Michele would say. She'd deny everything, telling Sookie not to be so dramatic. She thought of how afraid she was that first day in a new town, her Father laughing at her. ' _You are going to have new adventures and learn a new place! What's to be afraid of? Most people never get the chance to see the places you do. It's a gift! Now, go out and claim it!_ ' and he'd tweak her nose.

'Claim it," Sookie said aloud. In that moment, she thought of all the times Eric used that very word. "Of course, you knew!" she said, her heart lighter. "And you knew what I was! Oh, Daddy! I miss you!" but she felt happy. She was where she was meant to be and here, she could live her life in the way her Father never could. She didn't have to hide who she was if she didn't wish it. Dangers might come, but Eric would stand beside her. ' _And I have all the tools I need to defend myself_ ,' she thought. "Thank you, Daddy," she said to the laughing face she wished would look at her one more time.

When Eric's eyes opened, Sookie was sitting, cross-legged, beside him. She was dressed in jeans and a sweater, but she wasn't wearing her human face. The slight tilt to her eyes and cheekbones declared her lineage. "Are you leaving me?" he asked.

"No, Eric," Sookie replied.

"Then, why aren't you naked in my bed?" he asked. He stretched before sitting up. The blanket tented over his lap and he didn't bother hiding his hunger for her.

"I wanted to apologize," Sookie replied.

Eric reached for her, "I know of many ways to get something straight between us."

Sookie batted his fingers away, "And so do I, but talking first is a good idea."

You're going to ask me questions," Eric groaned, falling back, closing his eyes. When Sookie didn't respond, he opened one eye and growled, "Go ahead, do your worst."

"Don't be so dramatic!" Sookie scolded, and then her mouth fell open. "Oh my God, I've become my Mother!"

"Your Mother was attractive," Eric sniffed, running his nails over Sookie's thigh.

"What's wrong with you?" Sookie chuckled. "You got sex last night!"

"And I want more now," he grinned. He moved quickly and Sookie found herself on her back, pinned under him. "You can remove your clothing, or I'll rip it from you."

"I like this sweater!" she squeaked, and she found she couldn't stop laughing. He was picking at her, teasing and tickling. Sookie twisted and turned, pushing away his hands, but she didn't really mind, and he knew it. Finally, she grabbed his cock, pulling hard enough that he stilled. Holding his eyes, she softened her grasp and then stroked, rubbing her thumb over his head. Eric's eyes narrowed and his mouth fell open. Sookie rose and her lips met his.

It was hurried, but when he finally entered her, they both stilled. "I am yours," she sighed.

"The Gods are good," he replied, pulling back and then pushing home again. "They have given me such a woman. Sookie!" and then the time for words was over.

It was nearing midnight by the time they settled back against the pillows. Sookie was sure her hair was sticking out in some pretty unattractive angles. Her skin was sticky, but Eric was his usual, perfect self. "It's not fair," she sighed.

"Are you going to air grievances now?" he sniffed. He didn't seem the least concerned, but he started to pull at her hair and she was pretty sure he was helping create an even bigger rat's nest.

Sitting up, she laid her head on her knees, "It's just you are perfect. I'm sweaty and tangled and I smell. But you…"

"You smell like catnip," Eric grinned, and his clever fingers started to sneak their way under her.

"You're insatiable!" Sookie laughed, rolling further away from him. After a minute, she crawled forward cuddling into his welcoming arms. "I need to get back to Slievemore," she told him.

"When are you leaving?" he asked.

"You could come with me," she suggested.

"We could stay with Pam," Eric nodded.

"Or at the Goat Street house," Sookie told him. "It's almost done. There's just some finish work on the outside."

"Pam and Ian tell me it's transformed," Eric complimented. He lifted her fingers from his chest and kissed her fingertips. "You are strong, my wife. You are a mate worthy of songs."

"I am Seelie," Sookie repeated the words she'd said the mirror earlier in the day, "And I am bonded to Eric Northman. That's enough."

"Come, wife," he tugged, and dropping fang, he licked and then struck. When he'd finished, he used his nail to open his arm. "Drink," he urged. Sookie readily accepted, sucking and licking, and Eric used some of the escaped drops to heal her neck. "You don't need to see what you know already," he told her. When he kissed her, she tasted her own blood mixed with his and it didn't bother her at all.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"It is smaller," Eric observed, as he admired the changes she'd made to Goat House, as she was calling it.

"Less to clean," Sookie shrugged. "Besides, we have Ballytyne if we feel the need to get away.

"And the houses in Dublin, Carrack, Wexford…" and Sookie sighed. "What?"

"Why don't I see any of those in the accounts?" she challenged. "I do the books every week and there's nothing in there about extra houses. You told me you had a place in Barbados, too."

"And you don't see them?" Eric asked. He was trying to look puzzled, but Sookie could see right through him.

"Stop lying! I'm your wife? Hand over the rest, Northman!" She tilted her chin up and was rewarded with his slow, lazy grin.

"Clever," and he pulled her to him. "As I've always said," and he claimed her lips.

"Not going to forget!" she sassed, and pulling away, took him to see the extended kitchen and dining area she'd had made off the back of the house. "No yard anymore, but I kept space for the cars."

"It is respectable space," he praised. "Suitable for an up and coming pub owner and his lovely wife."

He'd growled a little when he'd realized Sookie meant this to be their primary residence, but Sookie could tell she'd won. Eric might posture, but she trusted he would give her anything she truly wished, if it was within his power. "We're central here," Sookie reminded him. "The mountain road could be a problem in winter, but the drive is faster to other places than from Ballytyne."

"I will ask Ian to arrange moving our things," he agreed.

"I was thinking of inviting Niall for dinner," she told her husband. "It's always a good thing to have Seelie eat your food. It means they owe you favors. Besides, I don't feel I've properly thanked him for saving me."

"Do you expect me to sit at table with the old bastard?" Eric asked.

"Of course," Sookie sniffed. "We could invite Pam, too."

"But not Claudine?" Eric asked.

"No," and Sookie shook her head. "I'm going to ask Grandfather to help me train. There are things I can do, but I don't know what I don't know. Maybe I'm capable of doing more, or I'm doing something that could hurt me. Without guidance, I won't know and of all of them, I trust Grandfather most."

"What of Octavia?" Eric asked her.

"I'm keeping up those lessons," Sookie confirmed. "Maryann said I can keep using her garage. It's got enough space and there's no windows. She's not teaching me any tricks, if you're wondering." Eric never asked her about the nature of her lessons with the witch. Looking at him now, she realized it was his way of letting her know he trusted her. "She's teaching me defensive arts."

Eric looked surprised, "Defensive arts?"

"I do something magic and Octavia turns it against me. I practice resisting," Sookie explained.

"Does that work for magic from others as well?" Eric asked.

"I don't know," Sookie hadn't considered that having another creature use their magic might prove different.

That night they walked up the hill and around the corner to Ghoul's Kiss. Mick was behind the bar and the music was playing. Regulars greeted them like long-lost family and Eric found himself surrounded by waitresses and friends, claiming hugs and offering congratulations. "Mine!" Sookie laughed, chasing them from him.

"Dance with me," Eric invited and they joined the others, looping and jumping, and then waltzing slow and close. Eric helped with closing and Sookie took over Chelsea's last tables, letting her go early.

Mick locked the doors and he headed off one way while Eric and Sookie walked, hand in hand the other. As they drew abreast of the small park across the street from Goat Street, Sookie drew Eric into the small area. Stopping in front of the sign near the hanging tree, she asked, "Do you remember?"

"This is where I found hope," he smiled. "I knew I had to have you, but this is where I knew that you would have me, too."

"What would you have done if I hadn't come around?" Sookie asked. "What if I'd married Breandan?"

Smiling in that lazy, so-satisfied way he had, Eric laid her hand against his chest, "It wasn't possible. This?" and he squeezed her hand, "This was meant to be. We are fated, Älskade. The Gods may make us dance for their pleasure, but, in the end, we will be together. It is written."

"Well, you'll have to show me that book," Sookie grinned. "I wouldn't mind reading ahead."

"But, where would be the fun in that?" Eric grinned, and he pulled her to him, kissing her under the stars.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Dinner was surprisingly normal. Niall showed up with flowers and a casual shirt. Of course, no sooner were the doors closed than human faces were slipped.

"I am grateful to you," Eric said, surprising the Seelie. "You have done me a service I can never repay."

The words were old-fashioned and Sookie couldn't help blushing. "But, we're going to try," she stammered. "Hope you like chicken."

Sookie and Niall drank wine. Eric also sipped, and they talked of business for awhile before the conversation turned to more Fae concerns.

"Claudine tells me she's seen you," Niall informed Sookie. "She believes you are unhappy with her. Has she done something to upset you?"

"Not exactly," Sookie replied. "I do want to ask you a favor, though."

The look that crossed her Grandfather's face gave Sookie pause, but she realized quickly enough it was more instinct than any real reluctance. ' _Bet folks are always asking him for things_ ,' she thought, before pressing on, "You offered to help me learn about my gifts. Are you still willing?"

"Didn't Claudine offer to help you?" Niall asked.

Sookie decided to be honest, "She did, but since she started working to become a Regent, I just don't feel I trust her. That's probably unkind, but…"

And Niall laughed. He threw his head back and tears came from his eyes. Sookie could feel Eric's shock, but neither of them could resist the urge to join the King. It was the pull of the Fae; all creation was happy when a Seelie found their joy. When he calmed, Niall wiped his eyes with his napkin. Laying his long, tapered fingers over Sookie's, he explained, "I knew you were worth more than all the rest! How easily you see through them!"

"I love my children, all of them," he went on, "but loving does not mean I am blind to their games. Claudine woos me and Claude tries to impress me." Niall leaned closer, "My grandson tells me he has seen you, too."

Eric growled, so Sookie hastened to tell him, "Here, in Slievemore, Eric. Claude was inspecting things at The Grand." When Eric didn't look satisfied, Sookie added, "Claude was civil. It's fine!"

"He said you had a nice chat," Niall chuckled. "You are right to be wary of them. They are fierce in everything they do, an admirable trait in a Seelie."

"Octavia Fant tells me she has been approached, as have others, for death spells from your charming children," and Eric stared at Niall. He reached over and took Sookie's hand, "I would hate to think that I might have to end someone because their ambition got out of hand."

"I will look into it," Niall nodded. "Ending one of our own, even through the use of accomplices, is a death sentence." He turned to Sookie, "And what else is this witch telling you?"

Sookie described her lessons. Niall glanced out the window, "I would like to see a demonstration," he said, folding his napkin. "But this area won't do. Too many witnesses."

With a wave of his hand, she, Eric, and Niall were standing on a hillside in the dark. It was cold and Sookie started to shiver, "You might have warned me!" she snapped.

"Do something about it," Niall sniffed, and Sookie's eyes widened when she realized she could. In an instant, she had her coat in hand. She blushed again at her Grandfather's admiring nod. "Very good, Granddaughter! Now show me what else you can do."

Eric stood by as Sookie ran through her tricks and skills. Niall questioned some and pressed her to try others. Sookie described her attempts at teleporting herself as her Grandfather had just done. "It takes practice," Niall acknowledged, "and faith in your powers. Any doubt may cause you to fail."

When she finished showing her skills, he said, "I am going to throw something at you. Show me what the witch has taught you. Block me."

It took Sookie a few tries and being hit by a rock hard enough to leave a bruise before she keyed into how to filter and then block her Grandfather's magic. It was almost like finding a particular scent on the wind. She realized Octavia's magic felt a particular way; a combination of pressure and sound. Niall's was different, lighter somehow, but stronger as well. When she managed to block the rock twice in a row, he turned his power to throw the rock at Eric. "Now, save your mate!" he ordered.

This was different. It was easy to form the block around herself. Sookie could almost see the path the projectile would take as it approached her. Finding that same path when the projectile was aimed at someone else seemed impossible. Finally, she found herself estimating, and throwing blocks at where she thought the projectile would be, rather than aiming with certainty, but it worked.

Sookie's strength started to flag, but still, Niall pressed her. Finally, Eric called, "Enough!" and the Fae King stopped.

"You are impressive," Niall told her through narrowed eyes.

"I have accepted who I am," she told him.

"And who is that?" her Grandfather asked.

"Fae," she said simply. "Fae and the bonded mate of a vampire."

"She is unlike anyone I have ever seen," Eric said, wrapping his arms around her.

"She is unique," Niall agreed. "Fae, certainly, but more." He drew himself up and suddenly they were standing in the Goat Street dining room again.

"I will come as often as I can. I will send others, too. You will need more practice to truly overcome the influence I can exert, but you need to learn to block other Fae as well. Each has a unique set of gifts. You have the power," and Niall lifted her hands, "You can defend and perhaps even control each, but to do so, you need to learn their magic. I will make sure you see as many different tribes of Fae as possible."

Niall glanced at Eric, "I've done you a service," he told the vampire, "but you have done me one as well. You have protected my Granddaughter and I will look to you to continue to do so. She stands above her peers, but with you beside her, she won't stand alone."

As he prepared to leave, Niall suddenly stopped, turning to Eric. "There is a rumor you should know. It involves your Maker."

Beside her, Sookie felt Eric stiffen. He seemed to stand a little taller and the bond between them muted, "My Maker is a great vampire." Sookie had heard him say that before, and in just this way, but tonight, it made her feel cold.

"Yes," Niall said dismissively. "As you know, Robert returned to America with his tail between his legs, but I've heard he's been sending messages, looking for Appius. Eric," and Niall smiled pleasantly, "I don't believe Robert means this as a friendly gesture."

"Appius is my Maker," Eric countered.

"I know him, too," Niall nodded. "I suspect he may not be as pleased with your domestic arrangements as you appear to be," and Sookie felt something shift and then turn. "You might want to reach out to him yourself and head off any stories that might be told."

Later that night, Sookie asked, "Why do you say that? About your Maker, I mean?"

"What?" and when Sookie described his reaction when someone mentioned Appius Livius Ocella, Eric seemed honestly surprised.

"I hadn't realized I did that," he shrugged. He didn't seem troubled by it, though.

"Do you think he'd like me?" Sookie asked.

Now, Eric did look troubled. "I don't think he'll understand you," he said carefully, and then he pulled Sookie close, "but you're a woman. Who knows the ways of women?"

"Well," Sookie grinned, sitting up and throwing a leg across to straddle him, "You seem to have a good working theory."

Moving his thumb to her clit, he grinned, "And, I think that more research could only help."


	43. Chapter 42 -The Flicker of What's Passed

**Chapter 42 – The Flicker of What's Passed**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Sookie was living a new normal. She arose in late morning. She cleaned and did the shopping, taking advantage of markets being so close. She planned her menu and bought only enough for each day. "So the smells won't bother you," she explained to Eric, but she knew it was really because she enjoyed living somewhere everyone knew her by name.

People she'd known now for over a year waved as she walked past them. "How's your man?" they'd ask, or, "Looks like the business is doing well, then?" Children greeted her and Sookie started exchanging with her neighbors, both in terms of small gifts and small talk.

Brian, the 'fixer' in town, always stepped outside his pub to chat, and Sookie was on good terms with his wife and the wives of many of the other business owners. If Eric had an odd reputation in town, Sookie saw little evidence of it. She chatted about the weather and slowly, started to exchange town gossip. When one of the shopkeepers asked her about children, she knew she'd gained acceptance. It was a personal question, the kind you only asked someone you considered a friend.

"It won't happen for us. I can't, and with our lives? It would be hard anyway." The lies slipped so easily now and if they gave her a moment's guilt, there were the side benefits.

"There's always adoption," her listeners assured her, but Sookie could see that this lack of perfection in the lives of the Northmans endeared her to several and ended any cause for jealousy on the part of others. Still, it didn't mean that when Sookie rose in the afternoon, her human face was the one reflected in the mirror. Since that day she'd accepted her powers, it was her Fae face that took over as she slept.

Every Tuesday, Sookie traveled to Maryann's to use the garage behind her house. Sookie demonstrated some piece of magic and Octavia would turn it against her. Every Thursday, Sookie traveled to the garage again, for this was the day Niall arranged for her to face off against other Fae.

For the past few weeks, Sookie worked with a leprechaun. He wasn't the one she'd met before with Claudine. "Fergus," he'd introduced himself that first day, "Now, let me see what's on your feet."

Sookie found herself handing over her shoes. "Dismal," he'd pronounced her boots and almost at once, the garage was transformed into a workshop where Fergus went about the job of re-making her footwear. "Niall thinks a great deal of you," he'd told her, signaling she should pull up a stool. "He's sworn me to secrecy and promised that I will be sole keeper of your jewels if I let you learn my magic."

"I don't think I could learn that very easily," Sookie indicated Fergus' hands moving, as he used a small awl to remove the stitching that held upper to sole.

"Och, shoes are my passion," Fergus told her, "It's something else I use to protect myself." For the first time since he'd gone to work, he looked directly at her, "You'd do me a kindness if you'd fetch me that hammer over there." He pointed and Sookie saw the hammer quickly enough, but when she rose to get it, she instead found herself wandering to the other side of the garage, more interested in the assortment of knifes and small saws hanging against the back of Fergus' workbench.

After a bit, Fergus scolded, "The hammer, girl! Do you have wool in your ears?"

"I'm sorry," Sookie stuttered, feeling as though she'd been daydreaming. "Of course, I'll get it right away."

She started toward the hammer again, only to find herself staring at the shoe forms. She literally shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs. "I'm sorry," she stammered again.

She had no idea how long she'd been standing there, but when she managed to turn her head, Fergus was sitting back, smoking a foul-smelling pipe, and her boots were sitting on his small work surface, polished and ready for her feet.

"That's a good trick," Sookie praised. "I had no idea you were doing anything. It felt as if it was what I wanted to do."

"It's a glamour that's served my people for ages," Fergus nodded. "It works against both humans and Fae. How else do you think we manage to keep our riches intact?"

"I remember someone telling me that leprechauns guard the treasure of the Fae. Do you have your own as well?" Sookie wasn't asking for any purpose other than curiosity, but Fergus' look darkened.

"And what if we did?" he growled. "Tis little enough recompense for the trouble those like your Grandfather cause! Trooping Fae have no idea of value. When they have it, they spend it faster than water running through their hands! If we didn't hide it away and make it hard for them to reclaim, they'd be living under bridges and in caves. They think they're smart, but we're the reason they live so well!"

"That's what my cousin told me," Sookie soothed Fergus. "She explained the importance your people hold for the Seelie. She was most grateful."

"And which cousin would that be?" Fergus grumbled, looking very much like a wet hen, puffed out and bristling.

"Claudine," Sookie answered. "And you should know, Grandfather shares her opinion."

"I preferred Rogan," Fergus informed her. "Still, Niall has been fair in his treatment and he did trust me to work with you." Fergus seemed to make a decision as he hopped down from his chair, tucking away his pipe. "Brigant says you have a number of rare gifts, but no idea as to your limits. He thinks you have more range than you know, and he'd like to test it." Fergus gave her an appraising eye, "I don't think it's likely you'll have the magic of leprechauns, but I'll let you try. Since you know what to look for, why don't you give me a dose of my own medicine?"

It seemed fruitless, but after an hour of Sookie asking and then trying to deflect Fergus in another direction, she was ready to give up. "Don't be so hard on yourself!" the leprechaun laughed. "I felt something, truly!" He gathered a few tools together and with a wave of his hand, the workshop vanished. "If you're willing, I'll be back next Thursday, and you can try again. That is, unless you'd like to stop now."

But Sookie hadn't given up. Fergus returned the following Thursday, and then Sunday as well. She hadn't mastered it yet, but Sookie knew she was making headway in learning the secrets of leprechaun glamour and how to use it for herself.

When she finished lessons, Sookie headed up the street, climbing the cobblestone sidewalks that led to Ghoul's Kiss when Eric was in town, or heading home when he wasn't. If she had enough energy, Sookie danced with Eric, happily swinging in his arms until closing, but some nights she went straight to the back office, just using the energy she had to tackle their business' receipts and bills.

Christmas was on her before she realized it. The stores had been wearing their decorations for some time, but Sookie managed to ignore them. It finally made an impression when she picked up the mail from the floor below her mail slot to find a card from Aunt Linda and Uncle Lars. Sookie tried to chat with Linda at least once a week, but since moving back to Slievemore, the calls became less frequent. The card had a form letter reporting the news of the year. Around the words were photos of Linda, Lars, Hadley, Remy, and Jason. One whole border was made up of pictures from their wedding. Sookie hadn't seen these particular photos, so it brought back memories of that evening. She remembered how handsome Eric was, and the crazy squeaking bed that drove them to spend their wedding night in the root cellar.

On impulse, Sookie tried Skyping her Aunt and Uncle Lars answered. Lars called over his shoulder and soon Sookie found herself chatting with Linda, Lars, and Jason, who was there on furlough. "Damn, it's cold here!" Jason complained. "How's the weather there?"

They talked of snow and Lars described the larger of the storms they'd had. Jason lifted the computer so Sookie could see the blanket of white outside the windows of Linda's house. As Jason walked back, Sookie couldn't help noticing the decorated Christmas tree in the background and the cheery decorations that seemed to cover every surface of Linda's house. When Sookie ended the call, it occurred to her how little effort it took to honor the holidays, and how marking them just made her feel better.

It was a Wednesday, which meant it was a day Sookie usually helped out at the Kiss. She wasn't a regular waitress, but she was the boss' wife, so seeing her there lending a hand was expected. Making up her mind, Sookie called to let the bar to let them know she had an errand to run. While she'd done some walking around Slievemore, Sookie didn't know where to find either holly or evergreen growing wild and somehow, buying it didn't seem right. ' _I suppose I could just summon it_ ,' she thought, but that wasn't right either. Instead, she warmed up her car and took the drive to Killary.

It was the first time she'd been back since her time with Breandan. The snug cottage still sat there, perched on its spit of shale, overlooking the sea. The windows were dark and, even though the grass was mown, it had the air of a place long abandoned. Sookie stood in the driveway a long minute. She knew where the key was hidden, and she was tempted to peek inside, but better sense won out. ' _This is your past_ ,' she chided herself and turning, picked her way past the evergreens and then down the cliff to the well and its holly tree.

Sookie thought about Paula Brady, the farmer's wife who lived just down the road. It had been Paula who first brought her here. Although it had only been a year, the things that happened when she lived here seemed another age altogether.

Pulling out a small knife, Sookie half-mumbled apologies to the tree for cutting its boughs, saying words that popped into her head. Tatters of ribbon still hung from the branches, reminding her of when she hung holly at the corners of the bed. ' _I might have ended up pregnant_ ,' she thought and it occurred to her that Paula Brady knew what might happen when she'd told Sookie to do it.

Sookie wondered who paid the Bradys now that Breandan and Rogan were gone. Sookie knew the money the farmers received for care-taking made a difference, but she couldn't help remembering how angry Breandan became that night. Paula Brady had tricked her, which left Sookie less sympathetic to the Brady's fates.

Sookie stooped to lift her basket, but when she straightened, the hair on her arms rose. A tall woman was standing before her. The woman's face was beautiful, and her clothes flowed around her. Sookie squinted, for although she could see the woman clearly, she could see the path back up the hill through her. "Sister," the woman said inside Sookie's head.

Ever one for manners, Sookie decided to bow to the apparition. Since she wasn't sure what would be proper protocol, Sookie used the same angle she used for the Queen's Second, Andre. It must have been acceptable, because the phantom woman drifted closer. She lifted her hand and ran fingers over Sookie's face, but, instead of feeling them, Sookie felt how they passed through her skin, leaving trails of cold within her. "What are you?" Sookie asked.

"A banshee," the woman's voice echoed in Sookie's head. Her head tilted and her eyebrows pulled together, "I'm not yours. I belong to another family, but you called me anyway."

"I don't understand," Sookie stammered. When the woman made to touch her again, Sookie backed up. The woman cocked her head to the side and Sookie noticed the banshee's silver eyes looked angry. "I sing for those who will die, but my family has all gone," the woman said after a bit. "This well," and she gestured at the stone horseshoe that framed the small pool of water, "This is a place for your family?"

"No," Sookie stammered, "Maybe you mean the Bradys?"

"I could love your family," the Banshee pressed, ignoring Sookie's question. Sookie tried walking around, but suddenly the banshee was very close to her. Sookie felt cold falling from the apparition. It was as if Sookie was standing next to a great block of ice.

"Thanks for the offer. We're good," Sookie stammered. "Besides, there's only going to be me and Eric in my family, and Eric's a vampire. Don't banshees follow mortals?"

"You're mortal," the phantom purred, coming closer.

"Not really," and Sookie slipped her masque, more afraid of this spirit than having some human passer-by spot her uncloaked.

The woman's face transformed. "Lies!" she hissed, but then she smiled and her voice fell to a croon, "It won't save you, not really. I see you, and so will others." The banshee fell back toward the cliff, growing tall, her silver eyes flashing, but then, in the next moment, she was gone, leaving nothing but a dust devil whipping fallen leaves in a circle on the ground.

"Well, I never!" Sookie exclaimed, before falling against the well, pressing her hand to her chest until her heart stopped hammering. ' _I wonder if she was one of Niall's trials_ ,' she thought, but she couldn't see it. Niall let her know when to expect visitors. The banshee felt more like a nasty surprise.

Sookie's legs shook as she climbed the cliff and her hands trembled on the drive back to town. Rather than heading home, she found a place to park on the curb and walked into the Kiss. It wasn't until she was sitting in the window, her hands wrapped around a bowl of chowder, that she admitted she'd been terrified.

"What happened to you?" Pam asked.

"I don't know," Sookie shook her head. "What do you know about banshees?" She told Pam about her encounter with the woman in Killary. Eric was out of town on business, but Pam pulled out her phone and texted him anyway. "What is it?" Sookie asked.

"Seeing banshees is bad, Sookie," Pam answered. "A banshee appears out of some sense of love, but her coming never signals good things."

"I thought they only appeared to mortals," Sookie repeated the lore she'd heard. Leaning forward, she whispered, "and when I showed her my Fae face, she left in a hurry."

"She shouldn't have been able to show herself to you at all," Pam muttered, staring at her phone. "Eric says you should call your Grandfather," Pam told her, "right away."

Sookie gathered her things, "It would probably be best if I had him come to the house." She glanced around. It was a busy night, but she still asked, "Will you come with me?"

Pam guessed right away, "You may look brave, but she frightened you, didn't she?"

"Like an arrow to the heart," Sookie nodded. "She felt like ice."

"She touched you?" and Pam stood. "That's not usual." Pam told Mick she might not be back, and together, Sookie and Pam walked the few short blocks to Goat House.

Sookie texted Niall before leaving Kiss, but there'd been no reply, and the house was dark. "I can't help feeling like someone's watching," she stammered. "I know I'm being silly…"

"Not really," Pam told her, taking the key from her hand. "Let me."

Pam went first, turning lights on. "Wait here," she told Sookie. Turning on her speed, Pam moved through the house. Sookie heard her overhead, and then fainter as her friend checked the attic as well. Within a minute, Pam was back. "No scents up here. Let's check below."

"Below?" Sookie asked, and then she remembered. "So, there is another room."

"Tunnel, really," Pam shrugged. "I can't believe Eric didn't tell you."

"Are you?" She sounded waspish, and Sookie stopped, took a breath, and added, "We have been busy. I'm sure he would have gotten around to it."

"He loves you," Pam almost laughed. "I don't think you appreciate how crazy that sounds. Eric has lived this way for a long time. He compartmentalizes. Every aspect of his life, and the people in it have neat places that he can shut off if he needs to. It's allowed him to survive, but, Sookie, you cut across all of that for him."

"Why me?" Sookie asked.

"You'll have to ask him," Pam shrugged. "But I think you remind him of someone."

Sookie filed that away, sorry she'd asked. "Well, I guess I'd like to see the passage. Will you show me?"

Pam walked Sookie back to the front room. "I'm surprised your workmen didn't find it," she said, her fingers working the wood beside the steep stairs.

"Why is it always under the stairs?" Sookie laughed.

"Same reason trolls are always under bridges, because there's space!" and the door sprang free. The stairs down were wood, but the wall was stone. "We think this was a smuggler's tunnel," Pam was saying. "It runs a bit and then there's a door cut into a bank. You wouldn't see it unless you knew where to look," and then Pam's eyes glowed. "What the hell?"

Somewhere ahead there was a scrambling sound and, in an instant, Sookie found herself standing alone. The sound of Pam's feet seemed to go on a long time, long enough that Sookie glanced at the stairs wondering if she should head back. Instead, she opened her phone, distracting herself by checking for messages. "Well, that was unexpected," Pam was suddenly beside her, causing Sookie to jump.

"Not rats?" Sookie asked hopefully.

"Not unless rats can open doors," Pam replied. "Look, let's go upstairs and pack you a bag. I was planning on heading to Carrack tonight. Why don't you come with me? Eric will be finished in a couple days. He can meet us in Carrack or maybe your oh-so-famous relative will clear this all up before then."

"You think I'm in trouble," Sookie stated, and Pam laughed.

"It's your middle name, Stackhouse! Come on, it will be fun!" Together, they headed up the stairs. Pam texted Eric and then Mick at Ghoul's Kiss while Sookie packed.

"How long will we be gone?" she asked. When Pam shrugged, Sookie lifted her chin, "Look, I see you're down-playing this, but I have customers here. People count on me. If I'm going to be gone for a while, I need to figure that out!"

Pam scowled, "It might be best to take your laptop. I'll ask Ian to swing by and pick up receipts for you."

"I think Ian might be a little busy with Eric," Sookie huffed.

"I think Ian will do anything I ask," Pam smirked. "Get a second bag if you need it. My car's back at the Kiss so we won't have to carry them far. Have you spent any time in Carrack?" Sookie knew Pam was trying to keep things light, so she played along, shaking her head. Pam grinned, "Fun town! There's a university there, so plenty of eye candy. We can be at my house and settled in a couple hours. We can go dancing with Chow if you're up to it."

Faster than she thought possible, Sookie was in the passenger seat and they were speeding down narrow, dark roads. "What do you think it was?" Sookie asked again.

"Smelled like merrows," Pam answered.

Sookie racked her brain, trying to remember her lore. "Like selkies?" she asked.

"Only meaner," Pam nodded. "You seem to be attracting a lot of attention. Maybe it's something Niall set up, but I'd like to be sure. Did he text you back yet?"

Sookie shook her head. With a sigh, Sookie started to text all those who would expect to see her, letting them know she was taking an unexpected vacation with Pam and assuring them it would be business as usual. "But, we'll be back in time for Christmas, right?" Sookie asked.

The holiday was a little more than a week away and Sookie was planning on dinner with Maryann and her friends. Pam was attending and Eric promised he'd be back, if only for the night. Between now and then there were other holiday parties with friends, and the day after Christmas was Wren Day. "We'll see," Pam said airily, and for the second time tonight, Sookie started to worry.

Pam's house was what Sookie would have imagined. It was set on a street with other houses nearby. There was a small yard in front that probably held flowers in Spring. There were two bedrooms on the second floor, both of which had the windows permanently blocked. You didn't notice it until you moved the curtains. "It's pretty," she told Pam, although her inner voice was telling her the room felt more like a prison cell decorated in chintz.

"I've had the place forever," Pam shrugged, but Sookie could see she was pleased. "The Kiss here in Carrack is just a few blocks away. Why don't we walk over?"

Sookie was starting to feel more depressed by the minute, but she dug deep and agreed. Taking a quick shower helped, and soon enough they were walking together past storefronts and walled parks. "It's so nice to be back in a real city," Pam purred. Sookie smiled. After Boston, she wouldn't have called Carrack a city, but it was bigger and far busier than Slievemore. The Ghoul's Kiss here was bigger, too.

Where the Slievemore club was all dark wood and comfort, the Carrack Ghoul's Kiss was high energy and neon. Bright colors reflected off stainless steel countertops and mirrored walls. The music was contemporary and lights pulsed on the dance floor. No sooner had Sookie looked around, openly gawking, then she was confronted by a tall, dark-haired man. "Mistress," he hissed in a tone pitched for her ears only. He inclined his head before winking at Pam. "Your booth is ready," and he swept his arm toward a dark table surrounded by a red leather banquette set in the corner.

"You can see everything from there," Pam assured Sookie, taking her arm to make sure they kept up with Chow. Sookie slid in and was sandwiched between Pam and the manager. "Any progress?" Pam asked.

"Can't believe it started again," Chow hissed, his eyes flicking into the crowd. "It has to be the humans. I've pressed everyone else. If only we had a telepath."

"Myth and legend," Pam shrugged. Drinks were delivered, although Sookie hadn't ordered.

"How did you…?" Sookie was looking at the gin and tonic she would have ordered.

"All in the vault," Pam grinned, tapping her forehead. After sipping from the glass Sookie knew contained blood, Pam leaned forward to tell Chow, "I'll be here in Carrack for a while. We can try to set up some extra surveillance."

"May I help?" Sookie asked. The looks Pam and Chow gave her were less than encouraging. "What?" she protested. "I'm here and Pam says we could be here a while. No one on your staff knows me…"

"My vampire staff does," Chow countered.

"Then tell them to keep their mouths shut," Sookie pressed. "If you trust them and you think it's humans, I may be able to get closer to them. I'll waitress…"

"You are getting way ahead of yourself!" Pam protested. "Eric is trusting me to keep an eye on you…"

"And where better than here, where you already know everyone?" Sookie pointed out. "Look, I can be the older, 'new' guy. The college kids will treat me like I'm invisible and no one will question me wandering around aimlessly for a while." She looked at Chow, "I've waitressed most of my life. I know what I'm doing."

Chow didn't say anything at first, but then turned to Pam, "Up to you. I don't think Eric will like it…"

"I don't need my husband's permission," Sookie snapped, "and I have just as much stake in what happens here as you do. Shared money and all that."

Pam sighed, "Chow's right about Eric, but so are you. Just do me a favor and text Eric. I don't want him thinking this was my idea."

"On it!" Sookie grinned, feeling unnaturally happy about finding at least one area where she could do something that might make a difference.

"Guess that means no dancing," Pam grumbled. "Can't have this looking like anything but a job interview."

"I am tired," Sookie agreed, feeling every bit of her too active day. Looking at Chow, she asked, "What time do you want me here?" and it was settled.

Sookie showed up at Ghoul's Kiss just before lunch. A brusque waitress handed her an apron, and in no time, Sookie was filling water glasses and busing tables. It struck her how used to being the boss' wife she'd become. Until now, she hadn't realized how the employees at Slievemore deferred to her, cutting her breaks and doing extra around her. Here, there was no slack shown and by the time lunch rush was over, Sookie was sweaty, her feet hurting. "You did okay," her trainer told her. "Come back around five. Chow will be in and the regular bartenders. Make sure your shirt's clean. It's mostly drinks after dark, so you'll have to hustle."

The waitress hadn't been kidding. Sookie's first impression was right. At Slievemore, people came in and lingered. That wasn't the case here. Tables turned over more quickly. The music was piped in and the dance floor was full. Eyes flicked over her, dismissing or appraising, but it was the demanding attitude that set this place apart.

Sookie picked out the vampires immediately, but everyone else in the pub was human. Not for the first time it struck Sookie how her eyes lingered on the glow that marked the supernatural. When she returned to waitress the lunch rush next day, Sookie wondered if her eyes seeking the supernatural was what kept her from spotting the humans pocketing money until almost the end of her shift.

The first time she saw it, she wasn't sure, but then the waitress did it again. Sookie figured it was a single thief, but, then, she saw a bartender do it, too. He was looking at the till, counting change, and then he lifted the Euro note from the tray and slipped it into his own pocket. His head turned, he saw her, and he smiled. He showed no guilt at all.

"Are you making change?" Sookie challenged, pointing at his pocket.

He looked honestly confused, and when Sookie insisted and he removed the bill from his pocket, he looked even more confused. Sookie let it go, but she watched more closely. The bartender she'd confronted did it at least two more times and the waitress Sookie spotted earlier pocketing cash did it again as well. Sookie wasn't positive, but she thought one of the other two waitresses might be stealing, too.

That afternoon, she walked back toward Pam's house with Finola, one of the waitresses she'd spotted pocketing cash. They reached a small bridge and there was a homeless person huddled there, his cup in front of him. Finola reached into her pocket and removed a handful of bills, the ones Sookie was pretty sure she'd stolen, and dropped it in the cup.

"Thank ye," the man mumbled.

"For what?" Finola snapped and, turning to Sookie, she sniffed, "Cheeky bugger! As if I'd give him the time of day!"

Sookie was sure Finola had no idea what she'd done. It was as if some other force was making her hands act on their own. ' _Glamour_ ,' Sookie thought. Finola peeled off at the next corner and Sookie pulled the phone from her pocket, texting Pam. Perhaps it was her excitement at having found the source of the shortages, or maybe it was bad luck. Sookie's toe struck the edge of the pavement, and almost as though she'd been shoved, she found herself falling face first into the street. There was a screech of wheels and the blare of a horn. Sookie felt rather than saw the car narrowly miss her.

A couple rushed forward, leaning over Sookie, asking after her. Sookie found it took a minute before she was able to stand. Her palms stung and her knee was bleeding where it skinned against the pavement. The woman offered to call an ambulance, but Sookie shook her off. "I'm fine," she insisted. "Just feeling foolish."

"This will make you feel foolish as well," the man said, handing over her phone with its shattered faceplate.

After assuring her Good Samaritans that she was fine to continue home, Sookie limped on, hoping she remembered the code to Pam's house. Stroking the shattered glass of the phone's faceplate with her thumb, Sookie grumbled, "Would be better if I had a vampire's memory." All her codes and passwords were on the phone and she worried she wouldn't be able to recover them soon enough.

Sookie was looking down, so that may have accounted for her walking head-first into the pole. "Oof!" she exhaled, and then "Ouch" as she fell back, her foot catching the sidewalk, falling heavily on her butt. "Jesus Christ, Shepard of Judea!" she swore.

There were no Samaritans this time. Three teenaged boys passed her by, not bothering to hide their laughter. An older woman passed by as well, tutting and muttering.

Rubbing the knob forming on her head, Sookie clambered back to her feet. Tucking her phone in her pocket, she paid more attention, but still barely avoided being knocked down a third time by a running dog trailing a leash.

She stood in front of Pam's door, trying to get her shaking fingers to poke in the code when the door opened. "You look like shit," Pam announced, and stepped back.

"That's a nice way of saying how I feel," Sookie assured her, "but I think I've figured out how we're being robbed."

Pam obligingly headed to the pharmacy and came back with the supplies Sookie had written down. "You need more blood," she sniffed as she watched Sookie bandage her knee.

"You know what Eric said," Sookie shrugged. "He has to be in Scotland."

"Do you feel him?" Pam asked.

"No," Sookie shook her head. "He's cut off the bond. He does that when he's…" ' _Working_ ,' was the word Sookie was going to say, but ' _torturing_ ' was the word she was really thinking.

Pam seemed to know where Sookie's head had gone and she gave a short laugh. "You have a suspicious mind, Ms. Stackhouse. He does have to focus, though, and he probably finds the bond between you a distraction."

"Yeah," Sookie sniffed, "wouldn't want that." She hissed as the disinfectant ran into the scratches on the palm of her hand.

"You might try working on distractions, yourself," Pam tsked. "Tell me again how you managed to fall twice?"

"The old woman who stepped over me gave me the sign against the evil eye," Sookie grinned. "Probably thought I was drunk."

"Have you heard from Niall?" Pam asked, standing, suddenly all business.

"No," Sookie sighed. "And take a look at my phone. Not like I can get any messages now, anyway."

Pam fished Sookie's phone out of her coat pocket, and then pulled her own out. "I can take care of a replacement phone, at least." Pam poked at the screen, her fingers a blur, explaining, "I'm asking Chow to come here. I don't think you should risk leaving until we get this all sorted. Creatures below your house, and now this?" and she jerked her chin toward Sookie. "There's something going on and we need your Seelie relatives to give a crap and get this figured out."

"What?" Sookie snorted. "They have some charm against being clumsy?"

"If you have been cursed, it's not funny," Pam scolded. "If someone's cursed you, it will only grow worse."

"Do you think it was that banshee?" Sookie asked.

"Oh, that's right," Pam nodded. "Do you remember anything else odd happening before that?"

"No falling, if that's what you mean," Sookie answered, and then she thought. "Do you think it could be Breandan?"

"Why do you ask?" Pam looked up from her phone. "Have you seen him?"

"I don't know," Sookie sighed. "But in Slievemore, when I head out to Maryann's, I see…well, I see seals out in the harbor. I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure they're Selkies."

"And you didn't think to mention this before?" Pam eyerolled, and jabbed at her phone again.

"If it's a curse, should we ask Octavia?" Sookie asked.

"It wouldn't hurt," Pam agreed, and stabbed at the phone again.

Within the hour, Chow was at the house. His nose crinkled in a way that reminded Sookie of Eric when she'd been cleaning the house. She supposed it was the disinfectant. "So, you're sure of what you saw?" he asked.

"Don't doubt her," Pam snapped. "Sookie wouldn't put humans at risk if she wasn't sure."

"What do you mean, 'at risk?'" Sookie asked,

"I'll have to kill them," Chow shrugged. "It must be made clear that no one steals from vampires without facing the consequences."

Sookie's mouth fell open as she stared first at the tall, dark vampire, and then Pam, who shrugged as if to say, ' _What did you expect?_ ' "I don't think they even know what they're doing!" Sookie protested. "It was like they were sleepwalking!"

"Well, the bartender is on tonight and if he does it again, he'll lose his hand," Chow growled.

Sookie pulled herself up to her full height, which was hard since her knee was smarting, "This is a job for your Sheriff and Eric is out of country. You need to turn this over to him."

"Eric won't see it any differently," Pam assured her.

"If they've been glamoured, they shouldn't be punished," Sookie persisted. "They are human, so it wouldn't fix anything. Whoever set them up will just glamour someone else." She stared first at Chow and then Pam, willing them to back off.

Finally, Chow rocked back on his heels, "It is a point," he conceded, "but we'll be watching them all the same. If we catch them, we will punish them…" and then he sniffed, "and hold them for the Sheriff."

There was a knock at the door and Pam went to answer. A vampire stood outside, and Pam dropped Sookie's phone in his hand. "Does he need my password?" Sookie asked.

"No," Pam said shortly, and waved in someone else who turned out to be Octavia.

"Time for me to leave," Chow said, making a point of walking well around the witch.

"You know you still find me irresistible," Octavia laughed while Chow made his quick exit.

"What's that all about?" Sookie asked.

Pam was looking embarrassed, which was unusual. When another minute passed, Sookie pressed. "It's etiquette," Pam finally said by way of explanation, which didn't explain anything.

"Chow and I were lovers, once upon a time," and Octavia took over the story. "I was young then and almost as pretty as you. We were quite the item."

"You loved him?" Sookie asked. She found herself warming to the thought that this woman who was almost a friend had lived as she and Eric did now.

"With all my heart," Octavia smiled. Sookie couldn't help noticing Pam's uncomfortable shifting. Octavia did, too. "But now, it's over."

"Did he love you, too?" Sookie asked. Pam snorted, but didn't say anything more.

"I believe he did," Octavia nodded, "although he never said it."

"Well, what happened?" Sookie asked.

"Age," Octavia shrugged. "I grew old, and so he put me aside. Now, every time he sees me, it reminds him."

"It's considered poor manners for a human companion to confront a vampire when you're too old to be seen with him anymore," Pam said shortly. "There is no reason to confront him, or her. It is a harsh reminder of the differences that divide our species."

Sookie looked from first Pam to Octavia and then back. There was a knot in her chest as a thought formed, "Is that what will happen to me?" she asked Pam. "Will Eric set me aside? Will he be forced to avoid me?"

"Of course not," Pam said quickly. "You'll become one of us long before that becomes necessary…"

"I see," and Sookie found it necessary to take a deep breath. Sookie thought back to the discussions she and Eric had about her turning. She thought of how what he'd offered and Pam's own reaction now. ' _Don't think about it_ ,' she told herself and turning to Octavia, asked, "How would I know if I've been cursed?"

Octavia's eyes widened, and then narrowed, "What makes you ask?" Sookie described what had happened to her. "Sounds possible," Octavia nodded, "but if you are, it wasn't by my kind. I'd see it hanging over you and I don't."

Pam was looking more interested, "But, Sookie is a danger magnet! She has things stalking her and now she's getting hurt."

"It does sound like a curse," Octavia agreed after hearing the details from the past two weeks. "Of course, it could also be more of an ill wish."

"What's the difference?" Sookie asked.

"An ill wish is placed by the Fae. It wears off, but it can come back. Curses are curses. They're placed, but if they're lifted, they're gone."

"Nice to know," Pam growled. She was on her phone again, poking messages. "Eric is going to be pissed when he hears that you've been seeing Breandan…"

"I haven't!" Sookie protested. "I don't even know if the seals were Selkies. Don't tell him…" and Sookie made a grab for Pam's phone.

"Well, I'll let you girls fight this out," and Octavia stood. "Under the circumstances, I don't think continuing our lessons is a good idea." Sookie stopped chasing Pam long enough to ask why. "If you're under an ill wish, playing with magic aimed to hurt you is tempting fate." Octavia was reasonable, but firm. "You need to figure this out, so don't call me for lessons until you do." Turning to Pam, Octavia asked, "Would you mind if I placed a protection spell around your house? As long as she's here, it would keep this place a safe haven."

"Spell away," Pam shrugged.

"Not my fault!" Sookie protested.

"Always your fault!" Pam replied.

Once Octavia was gone, Pam held out her phone. "You need to call Niall. If this is an ill wish, things could really get out of hand."

"I've tried," Sookie huffed. "I texted him, I called him. I get that he's busy, but you'd think he'd at least let me know he's received my messages."

"Then you aren't trying hard enough," Pam scolded. She poked her phone again and held the message up for Sookie to see.

' _It's Sookie. I've lost my phone. I'm being chased by Fae. I'm in danger. I need help now_.'

'Sounds melodramatic," Sookie sighed. "It's not that bad…"

"It's getting worse," and Pam hit her send button. "You need to learn to take these things seriously. Look at you! You're beaten up, you're being stalked. How much worse do you need this to get?"

"Eric…" Sookie started to say. She'd told Eric and he hadn't come. He hadn't made noises like he was going to come either.

"Eric is busy," Pam said shortly. "Besides, this isn't anything he can fix. We've eliminated witchcraft. It's time for your dear Grandpa to step it up."

"Which is, I suppose, why you've summoned me?" Neither of them had felt or heard Niall's arrival. He was wearing his formal suit and he didn't look solicitous or pleased. "What is this emergency that couldn't wait?"

"Look at her!" Pam snarled. "And what are you doing in my house?"

"You summoned me," Niall drawled before giving Sookie a once over. "Why isn't your vampire's blood healing you?" he challenged, and then cut Sookie off by saying, "Never mind. I understand. Is this what you called me to repair?"

"What if it is?" Pam snarled, clearly willing to goad the King.

"Of course not!" and Sookie stepped between them. "It's more than a fall. I've been seeing creatures…well, I guess it would be more like being stalked by creatures. I thought at first you might have sent them."

"I've only sent Fergus," Niall was starting to look thoughtful. "He tells me you are showing some progress, which surprises him, by the way. Most Fae are incapable of mimicking the powers of another, but I always knew you were special."

"So special she's been singled out by a banshee," Pam's eyebrow arched and for a minute she looked a lot like Eric at his most arrogant.

"Banshee?" Now, Niall did sit down and he gestured toward the chair opposite. Glancing at Pam, he ordered, "Leave me with my Granddaughter."

"My friend may stay," Sookie retorted, figuring she'd better intercede before Pam starting ordering, too.

Niall waved his hand as if it were no big thing, and then leaned forward, "Tell me about this banshee. Where did you encounter her?" Sookie told the Seelie about that day. When she mentioned the Killary cottage, Niall surprised her be asking, "Do you want it?"

Sookie's mouth dropped open. She was about to say that the cottage belonged to Breandan, but then she didn't. ' _To the victor go the spoils_ ,' she thought. "No," she said aloud. "Thanks, but too many memories."

Niall nodded, and then started asking questions about what Sookie had seen. When she mentioned the banshee touched her, Niall sat back, "Well, it's not a banshee, I'm afraid."

"No, that's what she told me! I remember!" Sookie protested.

"You may have noticed that some Fae are able to lie," and Niall leaned closer. "No, not a banshee. I believe you have seen the Leann Sidhe."

"The…" And Sookie tried to wrap her tongue around the syllables.

"She usually approaches men." Niall appeared deep in thought. "She must have been compelled to find you by someone quite powerful."

"You think she was sent?" Pam asked.

"Yes, and her coming brings mischief," Niall confirmed. "What else?"

Pam told Niall about the merrow scent under the Goat House in Slievemore, then Sookie told her Grandfather about each of the accidents and pratfalls she'd experienced. "Octavia says its not a curse," Sookie concluded.

Niall nodded and then stood, gesturing that Sookie should do the same. He wrapped her in his arms and breathed into her face. Pam's eyes narrowed, and even Sookie could see what looked like a vapor surrounding her. "Ill wish, indeed," her Grandfather mumbled. He seemed to grow very bright and Sookie felt a burning sensation, and then it was as if claws let go. "There!" Niall exclaimed, releasing her quickly. "That should do it."

"That's it?" Sookie asked, looking at her now-healed palms.

"You couldn't have managed it on your own," and Niall waved his hand. "What I don't understand is who might have done this."

"Breandan is a possibility." Pam's arms were crossed and she let Sookie explain.

"I will look into it," Niall promised, "but for now, I must go." He kissed Sookie's forehead, "I am most proud of you. Your status among the vampires has made things easier among your own. If you tire of this life, I may be able to offer you a place among your own kind."

"What does that mean?" Sookie asked.

"The Northman seems fond of leaving you alone," Niall wore a slight smile. "He doesn't maintain your bond as he should, or your injuries would have healed. There is no reason for you to remain with…"

"He's working!" Sookie protested. "We are both busy people! I have my jobs…"

"Yes," Niall cut her off. "Very busy and he trusts you? Enough to tell you where he is?"

"Scotland," Sookie replied. Her chin was forward, "Eric and I have no secrets!" she proclaimed. "I trust him!"

"I can see you do," Niall nodded, but Sookie saw his eyes meet Pam's and Sookie felt her old doubts return.


	44. Chapter 43 - Shadow Walking

**Chapter 43 – Shadow Walking**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Eric raised his chin. It wasn't comfortable being on his knees, but his body remembered the position and his mind automatically found the place where his focus shifted from the strain on his body to what mattered, his Maker.

"Robert should have known better than to try and fool you," Appius purred. "I trained you too well."

His Maker hadn't changed, he never did. The casual slacks suited his wiry frame. He was wearing a plum-tone cashmere pullover sweater. He'd insisted Eric change into similar attire, only Eric's sweater was an ice blue. He'd purred that the color matched Eric's eyes and there had been an uncomfortable moment when Eric thought his Maker would decide to use Eric's body, but the moment passed. Instead, Appius signaled over a glamoured, clearly terrified youth, settling him between his legs. Even now, Appius shifted as the youth's mouth did its work. "Tell me how you discovered the plot," Appius smirked, burying his fingers in the youth's curly hair and directing his movements more forcefully.

By the time Eric finished the story, his Maker had finished, releasing his toy to recover. For a moment, Eric thought Appius would kick the youth, but instead, he glanced at Eric. "Clean me up," he ordered, and Eric did. He crawled forward and completed the ritual he'd performed countless times over the centuries he'd traveled with his Maker. When he finished buckling the thin belt, he tilted his face up for his Maker's kiss.

"I've released you," Appius snorted. "I don't reward you with kisses anymore."

"As you wish," Eric bowed, and at his Maker's signal, returned to his prior position.

"Just because I don't visit you often, don't think I'm any less proud of you," Appius smiled. "You are one of my greatest creations. I enjoy receiving news of you."

"I am pleased to have made you proud," Eric replied. He couldn't help the shiver of pleasure he felt. Praise from Appius was hard-won. It had taken him over a hundred years to earn the right to use his Master's first name and, even now, he used it carefully. "You are a great vampire," Eric added.

"Yes, yes…" Appius sniffed. "You look uncomfortable, Eric. Are you uncomfortable?"

Eric recognized this as a trick question. He couldn't help the small smile that crossed his face. As if he would forget! "I am pleased to await your pleasure," he replied, as his Maker had taught him.

Appius didn't beam, though. Instead he looked bored. He nudged the youth who was still lying on the ground with his foot. "Get up! Are you damaged?" The dark-haired man levered himself up. Eric could see the tears on his face and it reminded him of other times.

"Does he please you?" Eric asked.

"Enough to keep?" and Appius ran his hand along the youth's smooth face. "He's young enough." He glanced at Eric, "Younger than you."

"I was not your first choice," Eric bowed his head.

"But I was starving," Appius grinned. "It was an opportune night for both of us."

"I am forever grateful," Eric bowed lower. In the back of his head, though, something stirred. He recalled that night again and the way he'd felt, anticipating his bride. It was a memory he'd not given himself permission to consider, not in a long time; not until his bonding with Sookie.

"What is it?" Appius asked, and Eric felt his sudden interest.

"Nothing," and Eric pushed the thought from his head. He found his place of meditation again, imagining a placid pool on which his Maker's words were the only ripple.

"Open your thoughts to me," Appius demanded, so Eric did. He dove into the pool he could see so clearly, swimming endlessly through blue water, watching the sunlight spear through from above. He felt Appius in his head, sifting and savoring. It seemed a long time before his Maker withdrew. "Thank you, my Child," and Appius' eyes returned to the young man beside him.

"Not enough," he said gently, and, with a wave of his hand, the youth's neck snapped. As the body fell forward, Appius said, "Take care of that, will you?"

Eric rushed forward, knowing that if he moved quickly enough, the body wouldn't have time to evacuate, making the job of cleaning the room in this safe house that much harder. ' _Call Xavier for help_ ,' his mind clicked, starting the mental list of what must be done. He trusted that his Maker found this man among the homeless and helpless. There would be no one looking for him, but, still, hiding bodies was harder than it had once been. There was too much technology now, DNA testing and fingerprinting. In some ways, Eric wished Appius would prey on the Fae instead. Their bodies had the advantage of falling to dust, even if paying retribution was expensive.

"I don't get enough of what I deserve," Appius sighed. "It's become too hard to travel with what I truly wish." Eric knew what his Maker meant. Appius preferred younger men, teenagers. He enjoyed the smooth texture of their skin and the lean lines of their body. It had been what saved Eric. The winter that year had been exceptionally hard, and Eric's body was half-starved, as happened when stores ran low. It gave Appius the lean lines over muscle he desired. He'd made Eric shave most of his body before turning him, so that as a vampire, the Viking would have little body hair to hamper the slide of the older vampire's hands. "People see an older man with a youth and they ask too many questions," Appius snarled. "They should mind their own business, but there are too many humans to glamour. Too much trouble."

Eric said nothing, tying the shower curtain tightly above and below. ' _Lucky_.' The word sprang into his head and he immediately dismissed it. It was not his place to judge his Master, not ever.

"With your permission," Eric smiled, and at his Maker's grace, he stood, lifting the corpse in its plastic sheathing.

Stopping on the back landing, Eric texted Xavier. Appius Livius Ocella had registered his presence with Xavier upon his arrival. Eric's counterpart had taken the unusual step of traveling to Edinburgh to receive Appius' assurances to abide by the rules in person. None of them were fooled. Appius would do as he wished, and Xavier would remain close until his Maker decided to return to Russia. ' _Xavier is making sure things don't get out of hand_.' The rebellious thought sprang into Eric's head and he pinched it off. That kind of thinking never led anywhere good, not when it came to Appius.

Now it looked as if Xavier's fears were confirmed. Eric shifted from one foot to the other, counting the minutes it took for the short knock down below. The Viking knew the longer Appius sat alone, the angrier he would become. He was here to see his progeny, so it was Eric's place to remain by his side until it was time to leave. If Appius created conditions that forced their separation during this time, it was a test. Eric must be clever and prove his Maker's faith in him. He must engineer things so that Appius remained happy.

Finally, the knock came, and Eric raced down the stairs, setting down the bundle to open the door.

"How many is this so far?" Xavier hissed.

Eric didn't look at him. Instead, he stepped past to hand the bundle to the cleaning crew standing behind Xavier. These vampires would process the body, making sure its former owner remained among the missing. Eric couldn't meet their eyes. He knew he'd see their judgment.

"How many?" Xavier asked the supervisor of the cleaning crew.

"Twice this week," the vampire answered. Xavier waved him away and waited for the truck to leave. Eric waited, too. He could feel Appius' growing frustration, but not talking with Xavier might lead to larger problems.

"This can't go on," Xavier hissed. "How long is he going to be here?"

"It is not my place to dictate my Maker's plans," Eric hissed back.

"I appreciate the difficulty…" Xavier started to say, but Eric interrupted.

"My Maker is a great vampire!" It sprang from Eric's lips. No one was allowed to insult his Master. It was not to be borne!

"I understand," Xavier conceded, "but I must let Andre know. It would be better if the old one didn't free range this way." When Eric opened his mouth to protest, Xavier added, "If this were my Maker and we were in your territory, you'd be telling me the same thing." Eric's colleague held up his hand, "I know, Eric, and I don't want you to answer. We all know your Maker's reputation."

"Don't pity me!" Eric hissed. It wasn't the first time he'd seen this look from other vampires, but it was unacceptable. If you accepted that others felt sorry for you, it meant accepting his Maker was a monster, and that way led to memories Eric never wished to revisit. Appius punished weakness. He punished pity and self-loathing. Appius rewarded strength and if Eric could show that he was strong, Appius would be satisfied and leave. That was how it always happened.

"Robert sent him, didn't he?" Xavier asked.

"Don't think I don't know about your channel to Robert," and Eric pulled himself taller. "Spying against your Queen?"

"It wasn't like that," Xavier protested. "Robert and I worked together, fought together, once upon a time. He's changed."

"Vampires don't change," Eric snorted.

"Vampires change all the time," Xavier shot back. "Look at you!"

"I haven't changed!" Eric flared.

"Then what do you call what you're doing with Brigant's whelp?" Xavier hissed. "You think I'm blind? It's Suzanne all over again…" and when Eric's eyes widened, Xavier leaned in, "Only more this time, isn't it?"

Eric couldn't help it. His eyes flicked back to the house, brow furrowed with worry. He could pinpoint his Maker's position in the house, too far to overhear them. "Don't worry," and Xavier leaned closer. "I won't tell, but, Eric, if Appius stays, he will find out about her, if he doesn't know already." Xavier looked at the road the cleaning crew had taken. "When Appius orders you to end her, what then?"

"There is no reason for my Maker to believe that anyone has taken precedence over him," Eric answered. "He wishes my loyalty to him to be beyond question. It is. He is my Maker."

"How are you going to keep him here?" Xavier asked. "What are you going to do when he demands you return with him to Ireland?"

"He has no interest in visiting Ireland," Eric answered. His chest felt tight and although he had no need to breathe, he found it hard to speak. "He and Sophie-Anne are not friendly."

"So, you think this is a social call and he'll return to Moscow…" and Xavier let the question hover in the air between them.

"Soon," Eric answered. "I will do better to keep my Maker entertained. Perhaps you might arrange a suitable blood supply."

"Supervised," Xavier nodded. "It won't be easy, but it's possible. No one is going to offer up escorts if he," and Xavier glanced at the house, "is going to kill them."

"Young," and Eric's mouth felt dry. "Male…"

"We all know Appius' appetites," Xavier shrugged. "I mean it. No more deaths!"

"I will inform my Maker," and Eric bowed low.

When Eric walked back into the room where his Maker waited, he dropped to his knees. He kept his chin high, his hands on his thighs. "The Sheriff has been here."

"I heard his voice," Appius sniffed. "Complaining, I expect."

"He did not understand your needs," Eric explained. "He will arrange a blood supply for you. He will have someone bring you suitable donors…"

"Tame cattle," Appius sneered.

"Xavier reminds me of the rules of this kingdom," Eric replied.

Appius' teeth clenched, and his black eyes snapped. "There was a time we ruled the night," he snarled. "We were the supreme predators, the shade in the night that humans whispered about around their fires. We had power, wealth…"

"Until the humans learned how to destroy us," Eric interrupted. Eric kept his eyes downcast. Even though it was a risk, it was better to cut off these monologues before they got started. Once Appius worked himself up to righteous indignation, he would feel compelled to kill, just to prove he could.

Appius hissed, lashing Eric with his annoyance, but then, he stopped. Eric looked up, surprised. His Maker had collapsed back on the chair. "I'm feeling my years, Viking." Appius picked at the arm of his chair, his long, pointed nail ripping into the fabric. "There are moments I feel the same freedom, but more often…" and his eyes flicked to Eric, "I wonder if I've outlived my time."

"Never!" Eric protested. "You are a giant among us, King of our kind. Are there any older than you? You define us, you are a colossus…"

"Yes, yes," and Appius smiled briefly. "You flatter me."

"I do not mean to appear insincere," Eric assured him, and he pushed his feelings, inviting Appius to explore them, but the older vampire didn't.

"There are still places in the world where money buys me some semblance of how things should be, but I can't escape knowing it's an illusion." Appius sighed. It was so out of character, Eric was stunned into silence. "I confess," the old Roman said quietly, "I have thought of meeting the sun."

"No!" It was heartfelt and yet, it wasn't. Eric couldn't imagine a world where this vampire, who had made him, didn't exist. What lay between them was stronger than blood, stronger than love. Appius Livius Ocella had forged Eric Northman. He had taken a man and broken him over and over, until there was nothing left. Eric remembered his despair, and then, one night, Appius had rewarded him. It was a little thing, but Eric found he craved any kind word from this vampire. Over time, he learned how to please his Maker. He remembered how devastated he'd been when Appius released him. There had been no warning. His Maker told him it was time and Eric was alone, having to trust in the training he'd received, to make his way in the world. There were those who assured him his success had nothing to do with Appius, but Eric knew they were wrong. This vampire was why he survived, and no one could convince him otherwise.

And yet… There was a small voice that whispered, ' _What about Sookie_?' That voice reminded him that he was faced with two worlds: the world of Appius and the world where he loved. ' _Those worlds can't meet!_ " the voice sang, and Eric knew it was true.

Eric brought himself back under control and opened his mouth to protest, and that's when he noticed. Appius was staring at him. It had been a test! "I bow to your superiority," Eric smiled, and he did bow low, touching his forehead to the floor.

"Yes, yes, enough of this playing," Appius sniffed, his good temper restored. "Tell me of your time here. Do you enjoy playing Sheriff to the child Queen?"

"Sophie-Ann is pleased with me," Eric sat back on his heels. He allowed himself a smile. "I assume you knew of Robert's plan to take over her kingdom?"

"Robert has done well for himself," Appius replied. "He finds ways to make peace with this new world, hiding and striking from the corners."

"He hasn't your strength, Master," Eric purred, and when Appius settled back, Eric continued. "I spotted the inconsistencies with his Sheriffs right away. It did take me two weeks to develop my suspicions, but every trick you taught me was of value. I followed, I observed. When Sophie-Ann and Andre were skeptical, Pam and I…"

"How is your progeny?" Appius interrupted. It was rare Appius asked and when he did, Eric rarely felt easy about it.

"Pam has earned her place among us," Eric replied. It was hard to keep his pride from showing. He was proud of his daughter, but he knew his Maker didn't approve.

It had been a near disaster when Appius returned following Pam's turning. Appius had no use for women and he sneered that Eric had gone back to his prior preferences. ' _It shows a lack of progress_ ,' Appius had hissed. The old Roman toyed with Eric for days, flattering Pam to her face, and then telling Eric that he felt he'd need to order Eric to end her. ' _She is unworthy of you_ ,' Appius taunted him. ' _She will never make a true vampire_.' To this night Eric wasn't sure why Appius relented, and it still left him cold any time Appius took notice of her.

"She was a mistake," Appius sniffed. "Look at you! Still only a Sheriff to an unworthy Queen, but what else could be hoped? Who would take you as consort, knowing it means that baggage comes with the bargain?"

"Pam has earned her place!" Eric repeated.

"So," and Appius' eyes narrowed, "does that mean you have freed her?"

"I…" and Eric's words caught before he steadied himself. "I have not told her, but it is my intention."

"Then do it," and Appius' lip curled. "You have my permission to use your phone. Go ahead, cut her loose!"

Eric knew his Master was enjoying the idea of hurting Pam, but Eric reminded him, "It wouldn't be recognized. There is paperwork required now, but I take your meaning. I will make arrangements to make it official. You are wise in all matters, my Master. It is past time."

Appius sniffed and his eyes narrowed again. "So, Andre is still Sophie-Ann's Second?" Eric knew what his Master was asking.

"Sophie-Ann has suggested I join her as consort," Eric offered, "but with Andre in place, I did not consider that position advantageous."

"She is too attached to Andre," Appius nodded. "You would have to kill him."

"It would destroy any chance to rule through her," Eric advised, "but there is money to be made and influence to wield. My position is unique. I have leave to travel and take on any opportunities I wish."

"And what do you receive in exchange for your body?" Appius asked.

Eric's eyes widened. It was unrealistic to believe his Maker didn't know of his bonding, but he had hoped. "As I have told you, I have unfettered freedom. I have Sheriffs who report to me supported by the kingdom. My tithes are nothing. I am welcome in Court and my words carry weight. Ireland is uniquely positioned…"

"It crawls with Fae," Appius sneered. "Dancing, prancing…"

"Wealthy, powerful," Eric countered.

"Don't contradict me!" and Appius slapped the arm of his chair. "You think well of yourself! Too well!" The older vampire's mouth was working. Eric recognized that look and it took everything not to show fear. After a long moment, the older vampire settled back again, "No one asked my permission."

"Sophie-Ann did not ask my permission either," Eric replied, throwing the Queen under the bus in an effort to distract his Maker from where this conversation would lead.

"You should have ended her!" Appius snarled. "She forced you? My Child?"

"It seemed a small thing," Eric shrugged. "Temporary."

"I hear this bride of yours is Seelie," and Appius' head tilted. "Blonde with tits like a cow." His lip curled, but Eric didn't miss the sharp way the black eyes watched him. When Eric didn't respond, Appius pressed, "Well? What of it?"

"She is under Niall Brigant's protection," Eric informed Appius. "She is his issue through a human lover."

"Temporary?" Appius asked, following up on Eric's remark.

"She's mostly human," Eric lied. "Fragile."

"But under Brigant's protection," Appius confirmed. "I understand why you haven't ended her yet. The old fox has sharp teeth. Tweaking him requires great care." Appius tented his fingers, appearing lost in thought.

Eric knew the stories. Appius and Niall loathed each other. On those rare occasions they did run across each other's paths, there was generally some incident. Eric also knew his Maker was almost always the loser in these encounters. Although he knew he wasn't meant to feel it, the Viking couldn't miss the undertone of fear that laced Appius' anger. When the Roman flicked his eyes in Eric's direction, the younger vampire wisely dropped his eyes, refusing to show any sign of apprehension. Like a storm passing, the tension in the room dropped and Appius asked, "So, what have you done to profit from this arrangement?"

"I operate pubs within Brigant's territories, for which he asks no consideration." Eric listed other assets: houses and relationships. "Most recently, the Seelie King has opened his business ventures for vampire employees," Eric concluded.

"But these only benefit Sophie-Ann," Appius pointed out. "Your choice of occupation troubles me. I released you because I believed you would prosper and what do you have to show for yourself? A lower level position sworn to serve a weak Queen! You are tied up with the worst sorts of people and vampires who should be your peers feel compelled to track me down, worried about your future."

"If this is about Robert…" Eric felt a rush of anger. This wasn't new. How many times had vampires complained about Eric in past, seeking to harm him? In Appius they always found a willing audience. "Why do you believe everyone but me?" The words slipped out and Eric immediately realized his mistake. "I don't mean to challenge you, Master!" he quickly apologized, bowing his head. "It is your right to make these decisions. You only seek to improve me…"

"As you should know without having to retract hasty words," Appius said coldly. "I begin to believe that Robert was right. You are forgetting your destiny. You are allowing shiny objects and a warm cunt to distract you."

"I believe I am doing a poor job in describing the network I have established," Eric countered. It was a gamble, but he added, "Perhaps, if you returned with me to Ireland as my guest, you would see…"

"I loathe Ireland," Appius growled, but he looked closely at his progeny. "It does mean something to me that you would be willing to show me, child. Perhaps Robert was hasty."

"Perhaps Robert was looking to overthrow my Queen," Eric added. "Perhaps this is simply mischief intent on weakening her position so that he might return to complete what he started."

Appius grinned. On another person it might have been taken for humor, but Eric knew better. "Perhaps he wanted to free you from your folly." There was a thought forming and it didn't make Eric comfortable, but Appius interrupted it by saying, "Still, things don't seem to be as Robert said. I will return to Moscow. You could come with me…" but before Eric could answer, Appius concluded, "No. You are doing well here, in spite of your unfortunate circumstances."

Appius rose then, walking until he stood before Eric. He laid his hand on the Viking's blond head, "Consider your situation, my child. Consider whether this is the future I trained you to assume. I've warned you before. These other creatures are beguiling, but they should not turn you from your true purpose. Now, you may show your Maker your gratitude."

"Yes, Master," Eric nodded, and reaching for Appius' belt, laid his head against his Maker's thigh.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Jesus, you're going to kill me!" Sookie gasped. She was laughing, her blonde hair tumbling around her face. Her skin wore a faint sheen of sweat and she smelled wonderful, that unique combination of sun and warmed wheat.

"Again!" Eric laughed, pulling her legs toward him.

"Slow down, Buster!" Sookie giggled, and slapped at his hands. "Give my poor pussy a minute to catch her breath!"

"But, I'm hungry for you!" he play-growled, running tongue and teeth along her belly. Her scent here was strong. It offset everything he didn't wish to remember.

"Well, then you can take care of yourself," Sookie smirked. "I'll be right here, and you can watch yourself run out of me, Mr. Happy."

"And what will you do?" Eric asked, his eyebrow arched.

"I'm going to enjoy the show," Sookie assured him, "and I suspect at some point, I'll be joining in."

Eric leaned against the poster of the bedstead, his legs spreading as he slowly stroked. His eyes were hooded, watching his mate. "Happy to have you back, too," Sookie said, then bit her lip, fondling her breast and pinching her nipple, knowing he liked watching her. When his hand started to move a little more quickly, she asked, "So, how was Scotland?"

Eric's stroke slowed. "Long," he told her. "Satisfactory."

"Did you see Xavier?" she asked. He knew she wanted him to tell her what had kept him there, but he wasn't ready to talk of Appius, not yet.

"I saw many people," he countered. "And I will tell you all about it, Lover, but first, I wish to have your taste on my tongue."

"Don't vampires ever get tired?" Sookie laughed.

"We regenerate," Eric teased, "and when we are with Seelie women, our stalks grow strong."

"Poetic," Sookie declared, but obliged him by getting on all fours and presenting herself again. His tongue was within her almost at once and she couldn't help her sigh followed by her moan. They had been at it for hours, ever since he rose. She'd found him beside her this morning. There'd been no warning. For night after night he'd ignored her texts. No messages, no calls. Even Pam hadn't heard from him, or so she said.

When fingers joined tongue, Sookie winced, but then any residual pain disappeared. Some part of her brain told her he'd probably laved her with his blood, but the most part of her was enjoying the ride. Even when they'd first married, he hadn't been like this, so insatiable. ' _What happened_?' her inner voice asked. ' _He's making up for something_ ,' then Sookie dismissed it. ' _I trust him!_ ' she reminded herself, sighing as he quickened his movements, drawing another orgasm from her, sinking teeth at the optimal moment.

The sky was lightening by the time they cuddled together. "Okay, Marathon Man, I think you'd better tell me what happened," Sookie insisted.

Eric didn't play coy. "My Maker was in Scotland," he told her.

"Your Maker?" Sookie remembered Felicia and Bobby Burnham. "Is he coming here to visit?"

"No," Eric chuckled. "He's returning to Russia. I think he's living in Moscow now." When Sookie continued to stare, he laughed, "It's just as well, Lover. Appius Livius Ocella feels women have their place, but he prefers the company of men. With your temper, you would soon say the wrong thing, and then there would be no end to the kind of trouble only you could cause!" Eric said it lightly, but Sookie somehow knew what Eric described was no laughing matter.

"Why didn't you return my texts?" Sookie asked.

"Appius requires my attention," Eric shrugged. When Sookie continued to stare, he added, "I turn off my phone when I have the opportunity to see him. Appius is old. He doesn't approve of new technology." That wasn't entirely true, on many counts. Eric did turn off his phone, but he also handed it to his Maker along with his password. Eric was fairly certain Appius used any time they were apart to review Eric's messages, but, as his Maker, that was Appius' privilege. "Besides, I thought you were tiring of my attention," and Eric cupped Sookie's sex.

Shoving his hand away, Sookie just shook her head. "Be that way!" she laughed. "Just tell me you're okay and everything's all right."

Eric's eyes softened, "That would be enough for you, Älskade? Truly?"

"I trust you," Sookie confirmed, and followed her words with a kiss.

The feeling that overcame him was surprising in its strength. He would gladly give this woman anything, including the truth if she asked it. As it was, he returned her kiss and pulling her within his arms, declared, "You are more precious to me than I can explain. You are the thing I didn't know I was missing."

"I love you, too," Sookie assured him, and when his grip loosened, she smiled, stroking his lips with her fingers.

"Why were you texting me?" he finally asked, and Sookie told him of Carrack. "Did Chow find out who was glamouring the employees?" Eric asked.

"No," Sookie shook her head. "Whoever did it was smart, too. The staff only stole during daylight hours. This could have gone on for a long time."

"It makes no sense," Eric's eyebrows drew together. "Of course, it would be caught. Vampires keep a close eye on their finances. What I don't understand is why the money was given away." Each of the staff people who stole was followed and each disposed of the money, but seemed to have no conscious thought of what they were doing. It was like watching sleepwalkers. The waitress, Finola, deposited her stolen cash with homeless people. Another waitress deposited hers in a mailbox that was on her walk to the bus. The bartender threw his in a trashcan. "It was as though someone knew a daytime person would be needed…" and Eric pulled Sookie closer.

"Do you think this was about me?" Sookie asked, and then dismissed it in the next breath. "That's a crazy thought! I don't even live in that town. There was no way anyone could think I'd go to Carrack. I'll grant you, it doesn't make sense, but it's more likely someone just wanted to cause you problems. Look at all the time it's already taken and if I hadn't bullied Chow, he would have hurt someone, and you could be facing a whole other set of problems."

"I do have my detractors," Eric nodded. He wasn't smiling and Sookie noticed his eyes seemed far away.

"Are you in trouble?" she asked.

"No," he quickly answered. "No, all is well. What's important is we discovered the issue and countermeasures have been taken. Pam has paid for a charm and now, if we have any further glamour problems, we will see the glow around that person."

"Octavia says you're becoming her best customer," Sookie teased.

"She is willing to provide the service," Eric nodded. "She is fond of you."

"Well, I'm fond of her, too." Sookie snuggled closer. "Who'd have thought it? Witches! What a world!"

"What is more troubling is this talk of an ill wish," and Eric drew his Mate closer. "Usually these things require contact of some kind, a charm among your belongings, or something you take… Food perhaps?"

"I haven't found anything," Sookie replied. "I've been pretty busy, but I've also been living out of suitcases again. If there was something new, I think I'd notice it."

"Niall said it was gone?" Eric asked. When Sookie nodded, Eric still seemed troubled. "Sometimes these things return," he told her. Sookie had heard that from Octavia as well, but Eric continued, "Still, having it banished by a Seelie King should hold." He stroked her bare arm, "I certainly don't feel anything clinging to you."

"You sure don't!" Sookie sassed, meaning something different. She could feel the pull of another dawn on him and how he was fighting it. "It's okay," she soothed. "We can talk some more tonight. I'll be right here."

"So will I," he answered, but Sookie fancied the words were as much for him as they were for her. His eyes met hers as he turned on his side and, in an instant, Eric Northman was gone.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"What do you know about Eric's Maker?" Sookie asked Pam.

Pam's mouth fell open and her eyes darted around before she asked, "What do you want to know?" in return.

"Did you know he was the reason Eric went to Scotland?" Sookie asked.

"I found out," Pam shrugged. "I just assumed Eric told you." 

"No, you didn't," Sookie snapped. "You didn't assume any such thing or you would have said it."

"Look," and Pam took a deep breath, even though she didn't need it. "Eric's Maker is bad news. I don't even like to say his name in case he's like Beetlejuice and it summons him. He's the reason people are afraid of vampires." When Sookie didn't look convinced, Pam looked around again, but this time Sookie was pretty sure it was to make sure they wouldn't be overheard, not because her friend was worried.

"He's old," Pam started. "Really old, like one of the oldest vampires walking. There's one who's older that I know of, but other than her, he might be it. Vampires call him the Old Roman, or The Centurion. Think B.C."

"Like, before Christ? Yeah, Eric told me that once," Sookie nodded.

"He hates me," Pam continued.

"Why?" Sookie asked. "I'd think he'd be pretty pleased."

"He hates women," Pam told her.

"So, it's a good thing you're Eric's and not his," Sookie smiled, trying to be supportive.

"He almost ordered Eric to end me," Pam pressed.

"What are you saying?" and now Sookie started to worry. "But he didn't, so…"

"Only because he relented at the last minute," Pam continued.

There was something there, behind Pam's eyes. "How did that happen?" Sookie asked.

"Eric had to persuade him," Pam answered, "and that's all I'm going to say. Appius Livius Ocella is bad news. I couldn't believe he traveled to Scotland. Most of the time, it's like he forgets Eric exists, and then something happens and he shows up like the bad penny he is." Pam made an angry noise and hissed, "I think Robert had something to do with this!" Pam ripped a napkin into small pieces, then made a sound Sookie was pretty sure meant Pam was laughing at herself.

"Robert headed back to New York with his tail between his legs. Most vampires would accept they had lost and move on, but Robert's always been petty," Pam explained. "He knows Appius and he knows the kind of havoc that old bastard creates. It would be just like him to track the Roman down and sic him on Eric."

"But if he's Eric's Maker, he'd stand up for Eric, right?" Sookie asked.

"Appius loves pain," Pam answered. "He's a real sick fuck. I wouldn't have survived being his Child. Eric's the only one who has…survived, I mean."

"There have been others?" Sookie felt the room had become too warm.

"Enough," Pam nodded. "I don't know how many he made before I came along, but Eric feels it when Appius turns someone, and he definitely feels it when they're ended."

"He kills his own children?" Sookie gasped.

"Or arranges it," Pam nodded. "There are rules, of course, and, now, if you intend to turn someone, you have to file paperwork and get permission from the ruler in your area. No one likes the idea of unsupervised progeny running around."

"Why?" Sookie asked. With the number of times becoming a vampire had come up, she found she had more than a passing interest in the subject.

"For one thing, there's impulse control," Pam said, ticking her fingers. "There's the sensory overload, intense hunger, disorientation…" and then Pam honed in on Sookie. "It's not that bad! Really! Your Maker siphons off most of the effects. Eric pretty much wrapped me in cotton for the first few months. By the time he let everything come through, I was more than ready to handle it."

"Sounds like a pretty close relationship," Sookie said, biting her lips.

"I told you before how it was," Pam pointed out. "Over a hundred years ago, but, yeah, that's how it is with most Makers and progeny. You're like two sides of the same coin. It's intense."

Sookie nodded. She understood what wasn't spoken, that the relationship also included a sexual aspect. Pushing that inconvenient idea to the back of her head, Sookie asked, "So, if it's so intense, how can Appius bring himself to kill his own progeny? Wouldn't that be like cutting off some part of himself?"

"Appius is different," Pam said flatly. "Eric always makes excuses, says it's bad luck, but Appius is too sneaky to be so careless when it comes to his progeny." Pam stared at Sookie, "He feeds on fear. If he thinks you're afraid, he'll keep the pressure up to see just how terrified he can make you."

"That's terrible!" Sookie sighed. "At least, he doesn't do that to Eric." Pam's eyebrow lifted, and Sookie gasped, "He doesn't, does he?"

"It would be best if you never met the old bastard," Pam replied, "although that's a stupid wish. If you remain with Eric, it's inevitable."

Sookie thought of the times Eric had talked about Appius. "Have you noticed that whenever his Maker comes up, Eric kind of sleep talks this little phrase?"

"' _Appius is a great vampire_ ,' or something like that?" Pam asked. "Yeah, we all see it."

"What is that about?" Sookie asked. "It feels like brainwashing…" 

"Or survival," Pam finished. "You have to understand; a Maker has absolute power over his progeny. If Appius ordered Eric to end me, he would. Eric would feel terrible about it, but he wouldn't be able to stop himself."

"And Eric would do that kind of thing to you?" Sookie asked.

"He could, but he wouldn't," Pam answered. "I'm told that once a Maker releases you, the power to command fades."

"But you don't know." Sookie finished. "So, that means Eric hasn't released you?"

"Not yet," Pam nodded, then added, "Don't get any ideas! Being released isn't all it's cracked up to be. With the tie between us, Eric's responsible for me, kind of a big safety net. No one questions what I do, or holds me accountable. It all goes back to my Maker."

Sookie thought about that, and then thought she'd better confirm, "But Eric's Maker did release him."

"Yes," Pam nodded. "But…no. I don't know. There's something between them that's not how I've seen others behave. I mean, Eric is recognized as freed, but it's like the power Appius holds over him is still absolute. It's odd."

Eric walked into the Kiss and his face broke into a smile. His happiness was like a living, breathing thing, and Sookie found herself on her feet, walking into his arms, and meeting his lips. "What were you talking about?" he asked when she finally pulled away, mussed and bemused.

"My Grandsire," Pam remarked.

It was as if a cool breeze blew through and Sookie shivered in Eric's arms. "Do you have questions?" he asked his mate.

"Pam says your Maker hates women." Sookie glanced at her friend, worried she might be breaking trust, but Pam nodded her agreement.

"My Maker prefers men," Eric confirmed.

"Young men," Pam added.

Eric shot her a sharp look, but then confirmed Pam's words, adding, "It comes from his time. It was more appropriate for Roman soldiers to have a youth as a lover. Wives were arranged, and they remained behind walls. Your social life was spent with male company."

Sookie was getting a picture and it wasn't pretty. "I guess it's a good thing he decided to return to Russia, or wherever," she said.

"I would be honored if my Maker were to come here!" Eric protested. "My Maker…"

"Is a great vampire," Sookie finished, "yeah, I know."

Seeming to make a decision, Eric took Sookie's hand and led her back to the office. He sat down and started to pull her onto his lap, but then thought better of it and sat her on the desk in front of him. "One thing my Maker's coming has brought to mind," and Eric stroked Sookie's hands. "We have talked of your turning, but we haven't come to a decision."

"I thought we had," Sookie answered. "I mean, I thought you understood how much I'd miss sunshine and birds." Sookie ran her fingers over Eric's upturned lips, "If I grow old, are you going to have to set me aside, like Chow and Octavia?"

"It would be expected," Eric nodded, "but I've promised Niall I would not. I will remain beside you until you are no more." He looked sad and Sookie could feel a strange emptiness she was sure came from him.

"We have a long time until that happens," Sookie assured him.

"Twenty years," Eric smiled softly, "Thirty. A moment for someone like me."

"I know you don't want to hear this, Eric, but I don't think I ever want to become a vampire," Sookie sighed. "It's more than just missing daylight. It's the idea that someone could have the kind of power over me that you have over Pam…or your Maker has over you." Eric didn't disagree, which only steadied Sookie's resolve. "I accept my mortality, Eric. I accept that each moment with you is just that. There is no forever and for that reason alone, I cherish every second we have. Does that make sense?"

"When we could have forever?" he sniffed. "No. It doesn't make sense to me, but I won't force you. I love you too much to do that."

Sookie could tell she'd disappointed him, but after everything Pam told her and her own reservations, Sookie knew this wasn't anything she wished.

"I told you I would continue," and Eric pressed her hand to his lips. "You told me you wish that for me, but I tell you now, I don't believe it's possible. There is something more than the bond between us, Sookie. The idea of not having you in this world is not possible."

"Just wait until I go grey and saggy," Sookie joked, but the look Eric gave her told her he didn't find anything about this funny. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "That was thoughtless."

"Being vampire is a wonderful life," Eric told her. "You are so close to Fae now, why not choose to complete that journey?"

He was pleading. It was in his voice and in the feelings he was sending her. Sookie could feel his sincere desire. "I'll think about it," she told him, knowing that even as he wrapped her in his arms, she was lying.


	45. Chapter 44 - Beyond Light

**Chapter 44 – Beyond Light**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

For Sookie, life settled into something she thought of as new normal. For the first time in a long time, she knew what to expect every day. She rose within a few hours of noon. She ate, shopped, and cleaned her house. Early afternoons Sookie spent completing class work on her laptop and later Ian arrived, bringing paperwork and trading small gossip over tea. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Sookie had late lunch with Maryann before walking to the detached garage behind the B&B to continue her magic training.

When the sun started to set, Sookie made her way home, lying full length on the bed under the eaves so she could be the first thing Eric saw on his rising. It was, mostly, the way Sookie imagined married life would be. They talked about things and made plans for their future. Eric pressed her about taking a vacation to his home in Barbados later this year. "We can celebrate the anniversary of our bonding. It falls at the end of tourist season. October in the Caribbean is something I think you'd enjoy." He'd purred in contentment, stroking her hand with his long fingers.

"Is that what vampires do on anniversaries?" Sookie asked. "Go on vacation?"

Eric laughed his easy laugh, his eyes crinkling. "Vampires don't celebrate the same way humans do. Since most pledged couples don't live together, they choose a place to meet, usually their ruler's court, and renew their contracts. Once everything's signed, they exchange blood and have wild, animalistic sex," and he waggled his eyebrows at her.

"Sounds romantic," Sookie snickered, but then she rolled over to rest her chin on his chest. "So, should we have a contract?"

It was just a moment. It was in his eyes and within their bond, but then it was gone. Sookie wouldn't have even remembered it except for what happened later. "We are bonded!" he told her. "Most vampires don't do that either, but we are."

When Eric did have to be away for a night or two, it was discussed in advance. Eric told her these trips were Sheriff business and Sookie knew better than to ask for details. She knew on these nights he rested in the house in Ballytyne, and images of the utility room with its shelves of towels with its gray slate shower came to mind. ' _It's who he is_ ,' she told herself, and lifting her chin extra high, reminded herself that this was acceptable because Eric Northman was an honorable man.

Discussions about opening a fourth Ghoul's Kiss became plans, and then trips to scout locations. For the first time, Sookie was part of things. She was the one Pam and Eric relied on to run the numbers. When the paperwork was drawn, Sookie's name was listed as part owner. "You're sure?" she asked Eric.

"You're my wife," he'd shrugged.

"You've earned it," Pam added. It was another moment of pure happiness in a life that had never seemed so sweet.

To add to Sookie's happiness, magic training was also showing promise. Fergus, the leprechaun, was replaced with Moira. "I didn't master his magic," Sookie protested after her Grandfather told her of the change.

Niall just laughed, telling her, "You are too hard on yourself! Fergus told me you made his head turn, Granddaughter. That is far better than any other Fae could manage. Don't expect to humble the man! Even among the Fae, Leprechauns are known for their pride. Had you been able to truly replicate his skills, he would have come to resent you."

Moira was a merrow, which meant she could become a seal. "But not like selkies!" she'd been quick to explain. "Selkies swim and fish, but merrows? We have the gift of illusion." Within short order, Moira transformed Maryann's garage into a sea island, surrounded by crashing waves and shrieking seabirds. Sookie was sure she could smell salt in the air. Together, they'd enjoyed the illusion of sunrise and before Sookie could blink, she'd seen herself transformed into a seal, dipping and diving through green-tinted waves.

It was a masterful illustration, leaving Sookie blinking and sputtering. "You should see your face!" Moira laughed, her green hair floating as if underwater.

"All fun and games," Octavia snorted during their Tuesday training where Sookie described the session. "That is until one of them takes it into his head to hide the rocks in front of your boat or the channel that would bring you home. A merrows' skills aren't so entertaining, then!"

Most days, Octavia joined Sookie and Maryann for lunch before heading back to the garage. They'd sit around the table in the B&B's large kitchen, talking about local politics and the future of the Republic. Octavia supported the idea of Sookie buying a B&B somewhere out of town. "There will come a time you'll be tired of hiding so hard," the witch told her.

Maryann agreed, "Your face has changed since you came here. I don't notice so much, except when I see you after you play with these folks, when the wildness is still on you." When Sookie protested, Maryann held up her hand, "It's not the only thing that's changed with you. When you first came here, you walked like you had the weight of the world on your shoulders. Now, you walk like you're Queen of all Argyle. Folks notice. They don't think the worse for you, but it brings you to mind more often than you might like."

"Better to be someone seen sometimes than seen often enough for gossip," Octavia agreed.

"It's just, I'm happy the way things are!" Sookie protested, and she was. Sookie still attended the monthly meetings with Maryann, talking with women who owned B&Bs along the walking trails, but she had to admit her desire to own her own B&B had faded. Sookie didn't want to open one here in Slievemore. It would only add to what was already a crowded market, making things difficult for Maryann, but the idea of leaving this town she now considered home wasn't attractive either.

Even Claudine and Claude seemed to have settled down. Niall made it official, announcing he would be the one to take over rule of the Northern kingdom and he named his son, Dillon, the acting King of the South. "I'm happy for Father," Claudine told Sookie. "It makes sense, even if it does mean I won't get a chance to rule for a while."

"Did you really want it?" Sookie asked her cousin.

"Of course," but then Claudine smirked, "but mostly because Claude wanted it so much!" Sookie didn't see Claudine often. It seemed her Seelie cousin was still working most closely with Niall and that meant more time spent traveling, but she still returned to Slievemore every few weeks.

Claude, on the other hand, was no stranger to Slievemore. He was a regular visitor, handling operations for the hotel in town as well as the one across the harbor. His handsome, dark looks had more than one girl's heart fluttering, but Sookie knew his romantic inclinations lay elsewhere. With his management of most of the town's hotel space and Sookie's desire to attract tourists to Ghoul's Kiss, it was inevitable that Sookie and Claude's paths would cross.

Claude insisted they meet in the pub at The Grand to go over advertising and promotional materials. "It's easier here. I'd rather not go to your business. I'm not welcome there. Your husband hates me," Claude explained. Eric didn't use those words, but Sookie knew it was true.

"You're no great fan of me, either," Sookie pointed out. Like Eric's opinion, it was never said aloud, but at some point in every conversation, Claude would find a way to make it known. It was in the way he said, 'husband,' or he'd make some casual reference to Breandan to remind Sookie that Claude had been Breandan's lover before and after her relationship with the Seelie Prince.

Still, for the most part, Claude behaved, and their businesses flourished with their cooperation.

As Easter approached and the tourist season with its walkers drew closer, Sookie found herself eagerly anticipating each day. While she didn't celebrate the holiday, everyone around her did. Trees started to come into leaf and the ground gained the loamy smell of promised green grass and new beginnings. She and Eric found themselves home together, the Kiss closed in observance of the holiday. They remained naked from the moment of his rising until the dawn called. "I love you," he whispered, his blue eyes clear, and Sookie knew it was true.

Spring brought other news as well. Amelia wrote letters filled with photographs of her baby girl and renewed promises to visit. Jason started to write, his letters full of stories of parties in far flung ports, and Maryann and Pam announced their decision to make their relationship permanent. "I think my Mother was pleased I finally told her the truth," Maryann told Sookie.

"Do you think they'll marry?" Sookie asked Eric.

"It's possible," Eric shrugged. He'd said very little about the announcement and Sookie got the impression Pam wasn't happy about something, but when she tried to ask, Eric told her it wasn't his place to discuss. "This is something Pam has to resolve," he'd said, refusing to say more.

The streets were seeing their first tourists when holidays came around for the Fae. For the first time, Sookie was included in discussions about the celebrations and Sookie realized it was because she'd gained acceptance as a member of the Fae community. "Beltane is one of our highest holidays," Claudine told her. "We retreat to our forts and we dance and light fires until the sun rises."

When the official invitation didn't arrive, Sookie didn't fret. She and Eric were invited to Queen Sophie-Ann's annual ball, which was also held on Beltane. In his role as Sheriff, there was no question of Eric attending and Sookie knew, as his mate, it was expected she would appear at his side. "Still, I feel it is important to celebrate with my relatives," Sookie fussed.

Eric agreed, "If they are bending in their treatment of you, it's best to have that confirmed."

Sookie issued an invitation to her Grandfather and Claudine for dinner the night before Beltane. "Eating my food is as good as an admission ticket," she laughed. What she didn't anticipate was Claudine's refusal and Dillon's acceptance in her place.

"He doesn't like me," Sookie worried as she and Eric dressed that evening. "Claudine, even Claude, tell me Dillon wishes me dead."

"It seems things have changed," Eric shrugged. When Sookie continued to sigh and flutter her hands, he stopped her, laying hands on her shoulders, and turning her so she could see her reflection in the mirror. "You are beautiful. You are powerful. You have earned your place," he assured her, and when she still didn't look convinced, he whispered, "If you like, I could fuck you on the table in front of Dillon's seat. You'll be so distracted thinking of your ass print under his plate, you won't have time to worry."

"Nice offer!" Sookie laughed, but the idea did distract her enough to stop fussing.

Niall and Dillon arrived promptly at seven. They were both dressed in suits, their long hair pulled back and neatly tied. Where Niall was white blond, Dillon's hair was black as a raven's wing. ' _So that's where Claude and Claudine get it,_ ' Sookie thought as she stumbled through introductions. After an awkward series of bows and greetings, things finally got underway. Sookie slipped into her Fae face and seated her guests. Toasts were presented and Sookie served. Through the soup course, the conversation was stilted. Niall, Eric, and she spoke, but Dillon added nothing. The ice was finally broken over the main course. "Father tells me you are making progress mimicking the magic of our kind," Dillon remarked.

The conversation around him stopped and for a minute, no one spoke, but Sookie took a deep breath, slapped her best smile into place, and replied, "I think the King is being kind, but I am trying." After that, Dillon joined into the party and by the time he and his Father left, Sookie felt she'd established a rapport.

As he stood in the doorway, Dillon met her eyes. "You are more magic than you should be. Hybrids…" and he stopped. Sookie knew it was a word the Seelie considered an insult.

"It's all right," Sookie shrugged. "I know what I am."

"Do you?" Dillon challenged, but then seemed to catch himself. "Perhaps it's spurred by the vampire's blood," he said not unkindly. "Still, it was a pleasant dinner. I thank you for it."

"You are welcome in my home anytime," Sookie replied. Dillon didn't offer to shake her hand, but she hadn't expected it.

Niall, on the other hand, pulled her into his embrace and kissed her full on the lips. "You are most remarkable, my Sookie. Perhaps, next year, you will join in the celebrations of your people." His smile became a little less exuberant as he turned to Eric, saying only, "Northman," and then they were gone.

The Queen's Ball the next night was a riot of color and noise. For a group that was technically dead, these vampires were lively in their play. The hall was transformed into a forest of silver and green. It was a masquerade ball and Sookie's was silver tied with grey ribbons, her hair crowned with flowers. Eric's masque was the likeness of a stag, complete with antlers. As Sookie looked around, she saw a number of stag masques. "Popular, huh?" she asked.

Sookie had read countless legends and romances about Beltane. She knew the significance of most of the symbolism that surrounded her. Still, some part of her wanted to believe that among vampires, there would be no more than lip service paid to a celebration of fertility and new life. Looking at the young, unchanging faces, it occurred to Sookie she might be wrong. For as much as they were frozen in time, vampires embodied the spirit of Beltane. They had literally died and been reborn, never to die again.

The Queen was dressed as Mab, Queen of Spring, and Andre was her hunter stag. Sigebert and Wybert, the Queen's guards, wore leaves in their hair, and Wybert, in particular, made an effort to be charming.

"You should have chosen me instead of this tall string bean," Wybert told Sookie. When Sookie had first come to this Court to be pledged, the Queen had suggested she be blood bonded to Wybert.

"I have a thing for tall blonds," Sookie flirted.

"So do I," Wybert laughed. "Something we have in common." Wybert flexed his barrel chest, "And as you can see, little Sookie, there's enough here to entertain both of you." He reached over to take one of her trailing curls between his fingers, "I do love blonds."

Sookie lifted her masque, revealing her Fae face. "Well, as you can see, I am aligned with the sun and you know what happens to little vampires who spend too much time near the light…"

Wybert laughed aloud, causing those around him to look. "Northman, you are not deserving of her!" he said amiably. "She has balls of iron!"

"I am most fortunate in my Mate," Eric agreed.

As they walked away, her hand resting on Eric's, it occurred to Sookie how much she'd changed. Last year, she wouldn't have revealed her face here. Last year, she would have been too afraid to flirt with the hulking guard. She caught sight of her reflection in one of the mirrors that lined the walls, marveling that the delicious, mysterious creature with her floating nimbus of hair and soft glow was Sookie Northman.

"If you're curious, it could be arranged," Eric whispered in her ear.

Sookie was shaken from her reverie. "Curious? About what?"

"Being loved by two men," Eric grinned. "Think of it," and he trailed fingers down her arm. "Pressed between two bodies. Strong hands gripping your thighs as one tongues you while another enters you…" and the fingers trailed down her bare back along the line of her dress, making her shiver. "Here," and Eric gripped her bottom.

Sookie could feel the warmth of her blush flooding over her, the power of Eric's words making her want to shift, rubbing her thighs together. "I wouldn't…" she protested, but some part of her found itself intrigued. She raised her eyes to catch Eric's full-on smirk and her chin jutted forward. "And you'd really be okay with something like that!"

"Vampires enjoy sex in all its forms," Eric shrugged. "You wouldn't be the only one deriving pleasure, my Mate." Sookie huffed, but Eric wasn't done with his teasing, "Haven't you ever been curious about having sex with another woman?" When Sookie didn't answer, Eric nudged her, "Or, maybe you already have? Experimenting in college, perhaps?"

"I lived at home," Sookie eye-rolled. "I didn't even have regular sex until I was out of high school. We moved all the time. It wasn't like I had friends, much less boyfriends!"

"Then, all the more reason to make up for lost time," Eric laughed.

He was so handsome. The stag's masque did nothing to diminish the shine of Eric's hair. Like most of the guests here tonight, Eric was bare chested. His shoulders gleamed, his biceps rippled. The pants he'd chosen showcased the firm, round muscles of his ass and Sookie found excuses to stop just so she could admire him as he walked in front of her.

The Queen made a short speech. Music started, and Eric danced with her, hamming it up through a ragtime number. By the time they were done, Sookie worked up a light sweat and she glanced around for water.

"Master Sheriff," a vampire bowed. Sookie stopped her searching to focus on the small group of vampires who'd approached them. It took a second, but then she recognized them as Eric's new Sheriffs.

"Mistress," Kiernan greeted her. Although they were all in masque, Kiernan was the only one from Ireland and his accent betrayed him.

"Having fun?" Eric asked and Sookie watched as her mate slipped into boss mode. She wondered if it was conscious or if Eric had played this part so often, it was habit. He stood a little taller and his shoulders shifted back. The three in front of them did the same, although they managed not to look like a parade line. The talk shifted to work, so Sookie made her excuses.

Pam was standing nearby. Her masque was of a face peeping from silvery foliage, but her white-blond hair was unmistakable. "Can you believe this?" Sookie asked.

They both looked back where Eric stood, his height making him half a head taller than the Sheriffs in front of him. "Have you noticed?" Pam smirked, gesturing at the vampires around them. "It's the thing about Sheriffs. Everyone else either toadies or runs." Sookie hadn't really noticed it before, but it was as Pam said. Eric and his men could have been standing alone on an island. The other vampires nodded, and some lisped greetings, but none approached. "They're afraid of catching the attention of a Sheriff," Pam grinned. Pam was clearly happy with that idea, but it made Sookie remember how, when they first met, Eric was surprised Sookie didn't fear him. Even now, he praised her courage. It occurred to her that he admired her ignorance, because, until recently, she had no idea there was anything to fear. Now, she knew better. ' _But, I still don't fear him_ ,' she confirmed as she watched those purposely avoiding eye contact with her mate. "Maryann would love this," Sookie said, changing the subject.

"No, I don't think she would," Pam disagreed. "Remember what it was like to be treated as a human? That's how it would be for her, only worse, because I'm not a Sheriff. A vampire's rank helps shield their human. I'm the progeny of a powerful vampire, which is something, but I don't hold a position on my own. She'd be fair game."

"That's terrible!" Sookie protested.

"It's the way things are," Pam shrugged. "There's plenty of places Maryann and I can go together. There's no requirement for me to attend these things. I come because of Eric…and you. It's not like I don't have friends here. I do, but the vampires we spend most of our time with don't come." Pam looked at Eric again, "Well, except the Sheriffs. They'll be expected to come to these," and she nudged Sookie, "and you will, too."

"You do look pretty," Sookie offered.

"I do love to dress up," Pam agreed. Her gown shimmered as she moved with the music. "Come on, let's dance."

The music was lively and they were both good dancers. As the next number started, Pam moved a little closer and ran her hand down Sookie's arm. "Let's give him a show," she teased. Sookie followed her gaze to see Eric staring at them.

"Let's," Sookie agreed, and they swayed closer, touching and twirling, not exactly obscene, but more than a little suggestive. Sookie peeked at her mate as a wave of lust hit her. He had moved to the edge of the dance floor and his eyes smoldered. Sookie swore she could see the tips of his fangs and it heated her. "I need some water," she whispered to Pam, keeping her eyes on his.

Sookie made her way off the dance floor, assuming Eric would follow. She found the water table near the feeding alcoves and turned, but found she was alone. She spotted Eric talking with another vampire. It looked as if he had been following, but was intercepted along the way. The shorter vampire was waving her arms and talking in an animated fashion, so Sookie figured it must be official business.

"She thinks a great deal of herself," a voice said from inside the alcove.

"Good tits, though," another voice answered.

"I'd fuck her," the first voice agreed, "even with the whiff of death on her."

"I hear she's refused to become one of us," a third voice said.

"Who does she think she is?" the second sneered.

"Too good for vampires, apparently." Sookie stood rooted. It was possible they were discussing anyone, but she just knew the unseen vampires were talking about her.

"How selfish can you be?" one asked. "Every day she ages. It won't be long before no amount of perfume can overcome that. Can you imagine? It would be like fucking a corpse."

"Fae blood can make up for a lot," the first one sniffed. "He'd do best to drain her and put them both out of their misery."

Sookie grabbed the water bottle and turned away. Eric was still talking with the female vampire who had been joined by another. Walking as quietly as she could, she made her way back to Pam. "Do I smell like death?" she asked her friend.

Pam squinted at her, "What are you talking about?"

"I overheard something," Sookie confessed. "So, is it true? Do aging humans smell? Bad, I mean…to vampires?"

Pam rolled her eyes, but Sookie got the impression it was more about buying time than dismissing her friend as foolish. "Look," Pam finally said, "Everything in this universe has a scent and vampires have finely developed senses. Every minute of every day, your scent changes. Maybe you exercised, or you came in contact with something…"

"Eric hates it when I use Windex," Sookie nodded.

"I bet he does!" Pam laughed. "That stuff stinks!" but then she shrugged. "As you age, yes, your scent will change. I wouldn't call it death and it's not that bad…"

"But, it is bad," Sookie huffed.

"It's different," Pam acknowledged. "Older humans smell different. Not as much as they used to, but it's hormonal changes. You can't stop that, not entirely."

"Am I being selfish by refusing to be turned?" Sookie wasn't sure she should ask. It seemed a personal subject between herself and Eric, but this was her friend, and she felt the need of another opinion.

"I don't think you're a selfish person, Sookie," Pam sighed, "but I'm not going to tell you what to do. Not about this."

"It was easy for you?" Sookie asked.

"What do you mean?" Pam asked, "Being turned?"

"Knowing you wanted to be turned," Sookie clarified.

"I didn't have one minute's hesitation," Pam stated. "I don't think Eric even finished describing it before I was saying yes."

"But, you knew you'd die," Sookie protested.

"I knew I'd never die!" Pam countered. "I'd be free. I'd be able to do whatever I wanted and aside from Eric, there'd be no one to hold me back. I figured it was a risk, putting my future in the hands of someone I didn't know, but the possibilities were wonderful. Eric told me eventually I'd be free of even him. I would live every day on my terms."

"I guess I don't understand that," and Sookie bit her lip. "I've had that freedom my whole life. My mom and dad told me there wasn't anything I couldn't do if I put my mind to it."

"My life was different." Pam leaned closer, "My fate was sealed the day I was born female. I was stuck inside most of the time. I couldn't go anywhere unescorted. I couldn't speak with a man, even male relatives, unless there were witnesses around me. Every word, every accomplishment, was examined and critiqued. I had one purpose, to attract a rich mate and prostitute myself so my family could fulfill their destiny. It had nothing to do with me! My entire worth was my face, what was between my legs, and nothing more."

"That's terrible," Sookie sympathized.

"This is a wonderful life," Pam countered. "Don't sell this short, Sookie. Being vampire is more than being forever. It's experiencing everything around you with clarity. You have no idea how many layers there are to be explored, just in the natural world. It's as if blinders are lifted from your eyes and you see things so clearly!"

"Except day," Sookie whispered. Pam didn't reply, but Sookie didn't expect it.

It was a thought that lingered. Octavia noticed, stopping their training to ask, "What's going on with you? You aren't focused and I won't put you in danger."

Sookie found herself telling Octavia everything. "I love him, I do, but the thought of never seeing another sunrise? I can't give it up," and to Sookie's embarrassment, she started to cry.

"Stop that!" Octavia scolded. "I've never been able to stand being around leaking women and for someone like you, the idea of you crying is painful!"

"It just seems so hopeless," Sookie sniffled. "If I don't turn, it might mean Eric dies…really dies, but if I do become a vampire…" and Sookie waved her hands. "I can't see being unhappy forever!"

"So, why don't you ask Brigant?" Octavia asked.

"Why?" Sookie couldn't see what her Grandfather could tell her that would make a difference.

"Vampires aren't the only ones who can give long life," Octavia shrugged as if it was common knowledge.

"Seelie can do that?" and Sookie felt a burst of joy, but then she thought of all the conversations she'd had with her Seelie relatives where her status had been discussed. "If it's something they can do, why didn't someone say something before?"

"If Niall didn't like you as well as he does, I wouldn't have mentioned it," Octavia started gathering her things. "Old songs are full of stories of the Fae spelling their human lovers, but it's rarely done now. I think it has to do with their race fading. They've become greedy and selfish. Just look at how they've forced you to be held at arm's length."

"It's different now," Sookie assured the witch. "Even Dillon is being nice to me."

"You may have to press him a little," Octavia continued. "From what I've seen, the Seelie are like leprechauns when it come to this, but I still think you should ask," and Octavia smirked, "That is, as long as you're willing to spend eternity with that vampire of yours."

"I love him," Sookie repeated and she didn't squash the feeling of hope that blossomed within her.

As Sookie walked along the sidewalk on her way back to town, she looked out into the harbor. They were there, as they were every night now. Sookie thought the presence of the seals had more to do with Moira's training than Breandan, at least she wanted to believe that. Still, she felt an unexplained comfort seeing them there. She even waved a little, which was how she explained walking into the streetlight. It was silly, and she felt even sillier picking herself off the ground. Tourists were everywhere and some even laughed. "That'll leave a bruise," she murmured, rubbing her forehead, but she knew in reality; the bruise would be gone by the time she reached her home. Such was the magic of vampire blood.

She thought to ask Eric about what Octavia told her, but almost as soon as he rose, he was rushing. Sookie racked her brain, trying to remember if they'd talked about the job he was telling her was so important, but she was pretty sure he hadn't. "I will be back before dawn," he assured her. It was so unlike the life they'd been living these past few months, Sookie didn't know what to say. He was hiding something, she was sure, but he didn't feel badly about it. He seemed to be happy, so she didn't question him, kissing him before he left.

She spent her evening at Ghoul's Kiss. When the crowd grew, she threw on an apron and helped with tables. The music was good and she jigged through the pub, joining in the singing, her heart light. Even dropping a trayful of drinks couldn't dampen her mood. She helped close at the end of the night and Mick walked her home. As she locked the house door behind her, she was sure she heard something beneath her feet, a scrabbling sound, but once she flicked on the lights and listened hard, it was silent. "Just your imagination," she assured herself.

Alone in their bed under the eaves, Sookie practiced making her columns of light. She wondered at her Grandfather's reluctance to practice these with her. He'd told her it was more important to learn the skills he'd assigned through her teachers first. "You already know how to do that," he'd sniffed. "It's important for you to stretch your possibilities, not repeat your past."

Sookie made her column look more solid, and then, using the tricks Moira was teaching her, she made the illusion of a second column on the opposite side of the room. She examined the false one, seeing the imperfections. Squinting, she made adjustments until they looked almost identical. "Silly!" she sighed, but there was something about making them that made her remember her Daddy's warm smile and rolling over, Sookie found sleep.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"I wouldn't know," Moira answered, but she didn't meet Sookie's eyes.

"I just figured if it's something that can be done, you might have heard about it." Sookie had asked Moira about the Seelie being able to award immortality. Since Octavia's remark, Sookie found herself poring over stories and listening to the lyrics of old songs. It seemed there was a certain lore suggesting that human lovers taken into the fairy realm never aged. "It's just that I'm thinking about turning, and…"

"That is a vampire thing," Moira sniffed, and shivering, she filled the air around her with fine drops of water that seemed to glow. When she saw Sookie's chin lift, she laughed, "Foolish woman! You really believe you can know all our secrets? You would do best to use your time wisely. You are being shown how to use the magic of my kind. Accept it for the gift it is and show your gratitude by paying attention."

Sookie apologized and put her mind to walking through her exercises. She changed one wall of the garage into a forest. She changed the chairs into deer. When she created a duplicate image of herself at the other side of the garage, Moira laughed. "You have truly mastered what you need to know!" the merrow trilled.

"You're not jealous?" Sookie asked, remembering Niall's caution about the leprechaun.

"Of course not!" Moira crowed. "Everyone will be so pleased!"

' _Everyone?_ ' Sookie thought. She couldn't be sure, but she was pretty sure Moira wasn't talking about Niall. "May I ask you a personal question?" she asked.

Moira seemed in too good spirits to protest, so Sookie pressed on, "Do you know anything about the seals I see in the harbor?" Moira stopped laughing. "The only reason I ask is because I always see them. I don't think they're just seals. It's not that I mind. In fact, I kind of like seeing them," Sookie rushed on.

"Not everything is about you," Moira said, somewhat evasively.

"I didn't think it was," Sookie agreed, "It's just I see them, and… Well, I thought I heard something under the house where I live. You see, there's a tunnel…"

"It's an old place," Moira told her. "It existed long before humans thought to use it. Now, that humans have forgotten, my kind could return there for safety. You'll allow it, won't you? If I promise you have nothing to fear?" Moira's smile stretched and her dark eyes shone. "It would mean a great deal to us, a favor."

Sookie was pretty sure there was something Moira wasn't telling her, but she was felt the merrow didn't mean her any harm. "Of course," she told Moira, "I'm sure I'll rest easy, knowing I have friends close." ' _Need to tell Eric_ ,' Sookie thought, but then, rather waspishly, her little voice carped, ' _whenever he comes home_!'

Moira thanked Sookie, and for the first time, Sookie saw her seal face hiding behind her human features. "Then, it's time for me to take my leave of you. I'll still see you from time to time, just not in this form." Sookie wondered if Moira was one of the seals she saw in the harbor, but before she could figure whether it would be polite to ask, the slight woman hugged her, and whispering, "It will be interesting to see which of us Brigant chooses for you to steal from next."

"Is that how you see it?" Sookie asked. "Stealing?"

"It's not natural for any being to possess too many skills," Moira sighed. "Absolute power…"

"Corrupts absolutely," Sookie finished. "I don't think I'll ever have that kind of power."

"Not if you think that way," Moira laughed, and with a blink, she was gone.

Sookie checked in with Maryann before walking home. The seals were there, bobbing in the late afternoon sun. Their eyes glowed, making it easy for Sookie to see when they dove or winked. "Thank you, Moira," she said aloud, earning her a quick glance from a passerby.

Sookie continued on her way, smiling at those she recognized and nodding to those she didn't. The walkers were coming every day and it was good business to be friendly in a town dependent on tourist dollars. Sookie was rounding the corner that led up the hill to Ghoul's Kiss when she found herself face to face with Brian's wife. "How are you, Kathleen?" Sookie asked.

"And you, as bold as brass!" Kathleen exclaimed. The small woman was positively bristling.

"What's happened?" Sookie asked.

"Don't look so innocent!" Kathleen said loud enough that people around them slowed to listen. "I should have known someone like you couldn't just be a friend! I should have known you were up to something!"

"What do you think I've done?" Sookie asked. This was Brian the Fixer's wife. They had exchanged Christmas cards and Sookie had been a guest in their home. She couldn't think what would cause this woman to be so angry.

"You've slept with him, haven't you?" Kathleen snarled. "You've whored for him, smiling in my face the whole time!"

"I don't know where you got that idea!" Sookie protested. "I'm happily married! Eric and I…"

"Everyone knows he steps out on you!" Kathleen grated. "Leaving town on his fancy trips, sporting about in other places with all his fancy friends! What was it, then? You decided to give your husband a bit of his own back by sleeping with my husband?"

They were drawing a crowd and Sookie felt her face flush. "I don't know what's given you this idea," Sookie protested, "but I swear to you. I'm faithful to my husband. You and Brian are my friends! I would never…"

"Protest all you want!" Kathleen almost screeched, "but I know what I know. You keep your distance from my man!" and turning, Kathleen stomped away.

Sookie realized she'd been holding her breath. She thought at one-point Kathleen would strike her, so she'd braced herself. Glancing around, she saw the openly curious faces of those she didn't know and the narrowed eyes of those she did. In an instant, she felt weak and instead of continuing to the Kiss, she turned for home. She figured she could call Maryann; her friend would soon find out what this was all about. As Sookie stepped inside, she clearly heard the noises under her feet. They seemed nearer and more.

Feeling vulnerable, Sookie turned on the lights, but stayed close to the front door as she reached for her phone.

"Will you come and get me?" Sookie asked her friend. "Eric's not due back until later and I don't want to be here alone."

"I heard about Kathleen," Maryann told her. Sookie's mouth dropped. It couldn't have happened more than fifteen minutes ago, but then Sookie remembered. She lived in a small town.

"I have no idea what's going on," Sookie told her.

"Neither does anyone else," Maryann assured her.

Not ten minutes later, Sookie was driving back to Seacoast Shores. She texted Eric, letting him know where she was. She didn't exactly expect an answer, but, still, she was disappointed when she didn't receive one. As she got out of the car, she turned around. It seemed there were more seals now, their glowing eyes like fireflies over the ocean's surface. "Have you ever seen so many?" she asked Maryann.

"So many what?" her friend asked in return. Even after Sookie pointed them out, Maryann couldn't see them and Sookie realized then her friend couldn't see the glow. It was the mark only Sookie could see, the glow of the Supernatural.

Maryann had guests and Sookie fell into the routine of fetching tea and answering questions. After a few hours, the women retreated to Maryann's apartment to watch a movie. As the evening stretched into night, Maryann asked, "What time did he say he'd be returning?"

"Before now," Sookie answered, checking her phone again. After another hour, Sookie called. It was agreed she'd only call Eric in an emergency when he was on these trips, but something told her this might qualify. The phone rolled over to voicemail. Sookie felt her throat tighten and her breath catch.

"I'm sure he's okay," Maryann assured her, rightly guessing where Sookie's mind was wandering. "I'll tell you what, I have an extra room. Why don't you turn in? He knows where you are and when he gets here, he can call you and you can let him in." Sookie could see her friend was exhausted. It was written on Maryann's face and Sookie knew the work her friend needed to do come morning.

"If you don't mind," Sookie agreed.

Sookie lay on the bed, not changing out of her clothes. She kept her phone beside her, tossing and turning, checking when she'd realized she was dozing. Finally, morning started to peek from beneath the shade. "Something's happened," she said to the ceiling. There was nothing, no whisper through the bond. "Where are you?" Sookie asked aloud, but the only thing that answered were her doubts.


	46. Chapter 45 - Single File

**Chapter 45 – Single File**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Brian's wife apologized, telling Sookie it had all been a misunderstanding, although that didn't stop the sidelong looks Sookie got around town. The lingering suspicions she caught only added to her doubts. She was sure there was something going on, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. She tried to keep busy, but Sookie would find herself drifting, her mind a whirl of questions: Was Kathleen right? Was Eric cheating on her? Where had he gone? Why wouldn't he answer?

Sookie's uneasiness grew when Eric didn't return after two nights and it grew some more when the next night came, and the night after that with no word from her mate. Sookie texted. She called. She asked Pam and Mick. They told her they didn't know anything. Sookie believed Mick, but Pam? There was something in the way Pam wouldn't meet her eyes. Sookie walked away feeling betrayed by her friend, sure Pam knew something she was holding back.

On the fifth day, Ian stopped by to pick up his things. "He's released me," he told Sookie. "I don't know what I did, but he sent one of his Sheriffs last night with a check."

"I don't understand," Sookie stammered.

"Neither do I," Ian shrugged. "He gave me a good reference, though. I'm sure I'll be able to find another job. Good Daymen are hard to find," and he'd chuckled, making the best of it.

"Did Eric say where he was?" Sookie asked.

"No," Ian frowned. "Like I said, I didn't even speak to him," and then he stared at Sookie. "You didn't know about this, did you? I assumed you knew…" When Ian had his extra clothes and laptop, he headed for the front door. With his hand on the latch, he said, "I'll miss you."

' _That's more of a goodbye than I got from Eric_.' She couldn't stop the thought as she stood in the middle of their parlor, staring at the closed door and feeling the emptiness in her house surround her.

Sookie's thoughts immediately turned to Pam, so she checked the clock to estimate the number of hours until her friend rose before she remembered. Sookie had cornered Pam two nights ago, insisting she come clean. ' _I can't tell you anything_ ,' Pam stammered between gritted teeth. ' _I'm under Eric's command. He's not hurt_. _He cares about you_. _It's all I can say_ ," and she'd grimaced as though in pain. Now, Pam was gone. ' _On business_ ,' was the excuse she gave Maryann.

' _They've abandoned both of us_ ,' Sookie thought morosely before taking a deep breath and reminding herself that business trips ended. "They'll be back!" she told her reflection, hoping that hearing the words aloud would make them come true.

Rubbing her arms, Sookie turned and almost immediately tripped on the small rug. Her clumsiness was back, stalking her every step. ' _Exhaustion_ ,' she told herself. She tripped and she dropped things. She fat fingered her keyboard, erasing hours of work, only to find she'd accidentally disabled the recovery routine on her laptop. It was one piece of bad luck tumbling over another, making the growing hole in her chest all the worse. ' _It's where the bond should be_ ,' she realized, rubbing the bone between her breasts where her heart ached. ' _At least you know he's not injured. If he was, the_ _bond would be open_. _He's got to be okay if he can close it off.'_

' _What it really means is he's cut himself off from you,_ ' her inner voice jeered. ' _Wake up! He's left you!_ ' She shushed her doubts, telling herself it hadn't been that long, but the fear she'd first felt was slowly transforming to anger as each night passed with no word from Eric Northman.

If she had her way, Sookie would still be with Maryann at Seacoast Shores, but she'd only stayed the one night before returning to Goat House. It was high season and the walkers were back. A new worker, Mary, now lived in the apartment over the garage behind the B&B. If Sookie stayed at Seacoast Shores, it meant she was taking a room Maryann needed for paying customers, so Sookie lifted her chin and came back to her own house, chastening herself about making the best of things. ' _He'll call_ ,' she promised, but as each day passed, she felt less certain.

Looking around, Sookie realized she wasn't sure she really wanted to be here anymore. She loved this place, but she loved it because Eric was here. Now, each piece of furniture and every knickknack reminded her of his absence. What's more, the noises in the basement had become more regular. Moira, the merrow, had told her the noises were only Fae who needed a place to hide; that they didn't mean her harm, but as each day and night passed, her tenants became bolder. In a way, during the day, it was almost comforting, the bumping and rustling reminding Sookie she wasn't alone, but at night it made finding sleep harder. ' _If Eric were here, I'd ignore Moira and have him chase them out!_ " Sookie growled, but Eric wasn't here.

The weather had turned, and it was almost summer. It still rained, but for hours, the sun would light up the hills surrounding town, dazzling the eye with green. Around her, people lifted their faces to the sky and stripped down to play in the waves, pale white skins transforming to bright red within hours. For Sookie, though, it was as if she couldn't see the light. Every day seemed gray, regardless of how bright.

She began to truly worry. Chow hadn't heard anything. Sookie considered reaching out to Queen Sophie-Ann. She didn't exactly have a number, but she figured Mick, the vampire bartender, would. Even Octavia had abandoned her, telling Sookie there was an emergency back home with her family. Sookie racked her brain, but couldn't recall the witch ever mentioning she had children and they'd talked of many things. "It's as if I didn't really know any of them!" she exclaimed to Maryann, before realizing she'd spent the past hour bending her friend's ear about her own troubles without considering that Maryann had troubles of her own.

Sookie finally texted Claudine and when she didn't hear back, her Grandfather. When she didn't hear back, she considered making the message more dramatic, as Pam taught her, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. 'It isn't that bad!' she told herself. But there was more to it. In spite of seeing her Fae face and all she'd experienced, these past days were as though Sookie had stepped through some looking glass, and the world where supernaturals were an everyday occurrence had magically transformed back to the world she'd known as a girl, where magic was something hidden and rare. Around her, the town continued as it always had, people nodding and children calling her name, but for Sookie, it lost its charm. As days became weeks, Sookie started heading to bed earlier and earlier. Facing nights without Eric was unbearable, so she sought the oblivion of sleep to quiet the gaping hole where her heart once lived.

On the fourth week of Eric's absence, Sookie ran into Claude. She was on her way home from the grocery store and she'd become so used to not seeing anyone supernatural in daylight that she almost missed him. He was sitting at one of the tables set on the sidewalk in front of The Grand. His long legs were stretched out before him and he'd raised his handsome face to the sun. There was a pint of beer in front of him and he looked for all the world like every other tourist in town. "Join me, Sookie" he called.

"I don't know," Sookie stammered. Claude had never meant anything other than mischief and her first instinct was to bustle past. "I'm busy," Sookie added, and held up her tote bag with its greens and pasta poking out.

"Nonsense! Surely, you can spare a fellow business owner a few minutes of your precious time," Claude persisted, pulling out a chair and raising his finger to a nearby waiter.

Sookie felt speculative eyes turn her way. It was a small town, and even those from other places found a woman turning down an invitation from someone who looked like Claude curious. Not wanting to attract more attention, Sookie plastered her best smile in place. "Sure, I guess I have an extra minute or two," and with exaggerated enthusiasm, she set her overfull bag on the chair beside her, hooking the straps around the arm to keep it from spilling over. When a gin and tonic was set in front of her, Sookie huffed, "Little early in the day for this! Beer would have done!"

"It's five o'clock somewhere," Claude laughed behind his glass. "Besides, you look terrible. I think you could use a drink…maybe a couple."

"I'm not sleeping," Sookie admitted.

"That would be a good thing for some people, but I take it there's trouble in paradise?" and Claude made a choking sound Sookie interpreted as trying not to laugh.

"What do you know about it?" Sookie demanded. Setting down her drink she leaned forward. "Do you know where Eric is? Is he all right?"

"Who?" Claude drawled. "Oh, you mean your husband?" He pitched his voice to be heard.

"You bastard!" Sookie hissed. "Fine! I don't want to know your secrets, anyway. You probably don't know anything, you just figured you'd poke at me." She started to stand, but Claude patted her hand, indicating she should sit again.

"Don't get your panties in a twist! I admit," and his lips curled, "I was having a little fun, but I don't really feel up to pulling your wings off at the moment. Besides, you make it too easy. It's more fun to needle someone who's strong enough to fight back. It makes the pain you inflict more meaningful. You?" and the Fae's smile twisted into something closer to pity, "It's like kicking a puppy. Hardly worth it at all."

"I don't know whether to be flattered or repulsed that you think I need kindness from you!" Sookie snapped, and then flushed with embarrassment as tears ran down her face. "Good grief!" she exclaimed, reaching for the napkin and swiping at her face. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Bonding sickness," Claude sniffed. "I can smell it on you," and he reached over, grabbing her wrist in an iron grip, but then he relaxed a little, stroking the soft underside of her arm with his thumb. It was an uncomfortably intimate gesture, but Sookie couldn't help sighing at the relief she felt. Unfortunately, a friend of Kathleen, Brian's wife, chose that moment to walk by and Sookie didn't have to be a mind reader to know what this looked like. Blushing, she snatched her hand back.

"Don't do that!" she hissed.

"You need it," Claude said in his most matter of fact tone, but he released her anyway and sat back, shaking his hair into place. "Bonding sickness this serious requires an intervention. If you'd like, I can pass this information along to Grandfather. Have you tried him, yet?"

"Yes," Sookie admitted. "He didn't…"

"Niall is picky about who gets any help he offers, but he does listen to me. You'll owe me, of course," and Claude looked too pleased with himself as he texted. He finished by slapping his phone face down on the table. "We'll call this a favor between us, little Sookie, and believe me when I tell you, I'll make it good!"

"Why are you doing something nice for me?" Sookie stammered.

"I'm doing something nice for a price," Claude pointed out. He raised his face back to the sun. "You'd better run along now, Sookie. You don't want any more of your little friends to get the wrong idea about you sitting with me."

"You're sure you don't know where Eric is?" Sookie asked one last time.

"I wouldn't tell you if I did," Claude sneered, "but no. I don't waste my time stalking vampires and if you were smart, you wouldn't either."

"He's my…"

"Husband?" Claude interrupted. "Yes, I get it. We all get it. You should hurry, Sookie. You wouldn't want to keep Grandfather waiting."

It wasn't until Sookie stood in front of her own blue door that she realized in her haste, she'd forgotten her groceries back at The Grand. Stepping inside, she closed her eyes, thought of the bag sitting in the sun, and summoned it to her hand. "Delightful!" her Grandfather's voice exclaimed, making Sookie jump. He stepped forward, smiling his approval, "You have become so much more!"

"Thanks," Sookie stammered, and then, "Thanks for coming…"

Claudine stepped in from the kitchen, "Didn't Claude tell you we'd be here?"

Sookie looked from one to the other, "Claude… He told me…" and taking a deep breath, Sookie pasted on her company smile. "Claude gave me the impression he called you for me."

"He most certainly did not!" Claudine sniffed.

"Figures," and lifting her grocery bag, Sookie headed back toward the kitchen. "Please, make yourselves at home. It will just take me a minute to put these away." As she stuffed carrots into the refrigerator, she called out, "Would you like honey with your tea?" Sookie knew it was always best to feed Fae something sweet before starting any kind of conversation.

"That would be most kind of you," Niall informed her from the doorway. His head was cocked to the side and Sookie could tell he was thinking she looked terrible, too.

Assembling the tea tray just took a couple minutes and Grandfather took the plate of cookies from her hand, following her into the parlor before taking the best chair. "Just what did Claude tell you?" Claudine asked when they were all settled.

"He said I have bonding sickness," and Sookie began to pour out. "He told me you," and she glanced at Niall, "might decide it was serious enough to deserve your attention." Handing Claudine her cup, Sookie added, "And he solicited a favor from me in return for calling you."

Claudine made a disgusted sound, but Niall laughed. "He is so very Seelie! Always remembering the niceties. Of course, since you willingly agreed, you still owe him something, but not a full wish," and Niall chuckled, seeming to think this was fun.

"You smell off," and Claudine leaned forward, as if she was sniffing at Sookie. "I think it's more than bonding sickness. And for the record, we have been here for some time, waiting for you."

"I became worried when I heard Northman had been gone so long," and Niall Brigant's look became more serious. He took a sip of tea, making sure Sookie was watching him, and then set down his cup. "Since Northman will continue to be on his extended business…"

"What?" Sookie almost choked. "What extended business? You know something…"

Niall held up his hand, "I know that his…assignment will take some time." He looked at her owlishly, "Surely, he told you where he was going."

"I…" and Sookie felt her whole face flush. Kathleen's angry words came back to her and the sneer in Claude's words. The only one who seemed surprised by Eric's absence was her. ' _It's Breandan all over again. How could you have been so stupid?_ ' her little voice whispered, soft as a snake. Squaring her shoulders, Sookie made herself smile, while admitting her ignorance. "I really don't. I expected him back weeks ago." She looked down to find her hands wringing the napkin she held. "I don't know what to think," she concluded.

Claudine laid her hands over Sookie's and Sookie felt the bright lifting she'd experienced with Claude, as if a weight was being lifted from her shoulder. "We should have found someone else to mate with her," Claudine said to Niall.

"Nonsense!" Niall replied, but he set down his cup and moved to sit next to Sookie on the couch, wrapping her in his arms. "Now, now. It will be all right!" Immediately, Sookie felt the most wonderful relief, as if a spring wind had found the window, pushing out winter. She couldn't help moaning and her fingers wrapped themselves into her Grandfather's shirt.

As he stroked Sookie's head, Niall told Claudine, "Besides, there was no one else at the time. I blame their Queen. If that bitch hadn't insisted on this bonding, our Sookie wouldn't in such distress." Shifting, Niall nudged Sookie with his shoulder, letting her know he wished to look at her. "I am sorry we didn't come sooner. Does this make you feel better?" he asked.

Sookie knew she was crying. Until she felt the change her Grandfather's touch provided, she hadn't realized how painful Eric's absence had become. She nodded, and then tucked her head back against her Grandfather's shoulder, snuggling to make as much contact with him as possible. She could have rested like this forever, soaking in the healing power of the Fae, but a loud noise from below their feet made her jump. It sounded as if someone had dropped a large box. "Damn it!" Sookie hissed.

"What's going on?" Niall demanded, and he stood, breaking their contact.

Sookie almost groaned as the pain in her chest blossomed back. She leaned forward, holding her head in her hands. "It's Fae," Sookie mumbled. "Moira said the tunnel below is a place they need." In a few words, Sookie told her relatives about the Merrow's request.

With a snort, Claudine set down her cup, and then she just wasn't there. Sookie assumed she'd transported herself below. Using her cousin's absence, Sookie asked her Grandfather the only question that mattered, "Where is he?"

"Moscow," Niall answered, and settling back, drew her back into the comfort of his embrace. "His Maker has summoned him."

"I don't understand," Sookie stammered, but before her Grandfather could answer her, Claudine was back in her chair.

"Merrows!" she informed them, her lip lifting. "Lots of them!"

"Did you give them permission to nest here?" Niall asked Sookie.

"I didn't tell Moira they couldn't," Sookie replied, trying to recall the exact words she'd given her magic instructor.

"They have made themselves at home," Claudine sniffed, "and they aren't exactly sanitary."

"I don't suppose their presence would cause problems," Niall replied. "At least for now," and he made as if to stand.

Sookie held on, pulling a little. When Niall stared at her, she asked "Why hasn't he called me?" She could hear how broken her voice sounded, but she was past being embarrassed.

Niall settled back again. He gathered her to him and pressed his lips to her forehead. "My poor child," he crooned, before telling her, "I believe Appius Livius Ocella has retained some sort of hold on the Northman. I have been told many times that your vampire was freed, but now I wonder. He is not behaving in a predictable way." It wasn't exactly true, but Niall felt this reason might be easier for Sookie to accept.

"I don't believe we were misinformed," and Claudine sat up. "If he wasn't free, he wouldn't have been able to bond. He'd still be paying his Maker some portion of his tithes, he'd need permission for any number of things. He checked out. He's been freed, at least officially."

"I wouldn't put it past the Roman to have retained some part of his hold over the Viking," Niall snarled. "Appius has no honor!" The Seelie King gave every indication that he was indignant, but, then, seeming to remember himself, he relaxed and smiled at Sookie again. "This joining between you and the vampire was never meant to be permanent, my Sookie. The alliance with Northman was only to shield you until your own people were ready to welcome you."

"I love him," and Sookie's voice wavered. "What are you saying?"

"Nothing!" Niall hastened to head off more tears. "There is no reason to believe your vampire won't return to you. Against all odds, he loves you, too. He told me." Just hearing her Grandfather say the words made Sookie feel better. She was sure Eric wouldn't have made that kind of admission to Niall Brigant if he didn't mean it. "But, I can see that bonding sickness is not your only worry. Things here are not as they should be," and Niall shifted back. "Why didn't you tell me your ill wish has returned…"

Sookie gasped, "Good grief! Are you sure?" Until he said it, the thought hadn't occurred to her, but now she heard it, her clumsiness made sense. "I've been so worried about Eric, I didn't put two and two together. I just thought I was distracted."

"How long has your bad luck been troubling you?" Niall quizzed. Like the time before, he stood her up, took her in his arms, and his glow strengthened, filling the room with bright light. Sookie watched as a gray film lifted from her skin and then fell away to dust.

She searched back, but everything seemed so fuzzy. "A couple weeks?" she guessed.

"About the same time Moira asked to have her relatives move into your house?" Claudine asked.

Sookie gasped, "Maybe? I don't think so! I mean, Moira told me she owed me a favor for letting them use the space again. She wouldn't have done that if she wanted to hurt me… Would she?"

"It seems unlikely," Niall agreed. "I don't wish to jump to conclusions. Moira and the merrows have been most accommodating."

"But it is out of character for them to be so considerate," Claudine interjected. "They are typical solitaries, selfish and self-serving." Sookie thought her cousin's description suited most of the Fae she knew, including the two standing in her parlor right now.

"It's possible it predates the merrows," Niall sniffed. "This business with Northman? It could be related. Regardless, Sookie, you can't stay here alone any longer."

"What!" Sookie squawked. "Now look here…!"

"Grandfather is quite right," Claudine headed Sookie off. "I feel as if you've put us on speed dial. Every time I pick up my phone there's another text from you begging for help with one emergency or another."

"Your bonding sickness is no small matter," Niall added. "If you remain with us, we will be able to help you control the symptoms until your body adjusts."

"Not to mention, making sure you don't end up attracting another ill wish!" Claudine scolded.

"Maybe it's not another ill wish," Sookie snapped. "Maybe it's the first one coming back."

"If the person who placed it is very strong I suppose that's possible," Niall agreed, not looking the least put out, "But all the more reason we should keep you with us until we can figure out who's behind it…"

"And help you get a handle on your vampire problem," Claudine chimed in. "You really do look like shit!"

"We wish to take you with us to the fort near Carreigh," Niall mused.

Claudine cocked her head, adding, "Father is still uncertain. He is the ruler now. It may not be permanent, but Father will support you staying with us for now."

"Of course, he will," Niall grinned. "You remember when I brought Dillon here for dinner before Beltane? You were the perfect hostess and he was charmed. He tasted everything placed before him and when we left, he told me he found you much improved."

"You really did make a favorable impression," Claudine beamed. "That he agrees to any part of this is a sort of miracle.".

"Still, Dillon's support will not speak for everyone. We'll invoke her status as a mated vampire," Niall shrugged, "but it will be obvious to everyone how much she's become like us. Why," and he beamed at Sookie, "she even shines!" The way he said it had Sookie staring at her arm, although she didn't see anything different. "With Dillon's acceptance, if not approval, others will fall in line."

"We will use the B&B in Carreigh as your base," Claudine informed Sookie. "That can be your human place; your address. The landlady, Joyce, knows you. She'll find you a room."

"Of course, she will," Niall grinned. "I pay her well to accommodate my special guests!"

"I'll go upstairs and pack what she'll need," and Claudine stood up, heading toward the stairs.

"What?" Sookie squawked. "Wait just a minute!" Things were moving too quickly and Sookie felt as though she'd lost all control of her life. "I can't go right now. I have customers…work!"

Niall shrugged, "Aside from volunteering to serve stale beer in that pub you own, it seems to me you can handle all your other duties from anywhere. You've done that before, yes? You don't need to be here, in this exact place."

"I had receipts dropped off and my laptop with me before," Sookie stumbled, thinking of the time she and Eric spent in Ballytyne, "but that means I need someone to pick up and drop off paperwork. I don't have anyone to do that kind of running for me. I can't ask Pam…"

"No, Miss Ravenscroft is busy," Niall said shortly. "Perhaps the Northman's former Dayman? I understand he's between assignments."

Sookie felt something cold settle over her. What she wanted to hiss was ' _you seem awfully well informed_ ,' but what she said instead was, "I heard he might be getting another job."

"He seems to like you well enough," Niall pushed on, and when Sookie turned stormy eyes toward him, the King answered Sookie's unsaid question, continuing his odd habit of almost reading her thoughts. "Surely, you don't think I wouldn't check out those who have daily contact with you? You are my Granddaughter! You are most precious to me!"

Sookie felt her rising temper deflate, consoling herself by murmuring, "High handed."

Niall laughed, his eyes crinkling, "Of course! As is my right as the head of our house!"

Claudine was laughing, too, and Sookie had the sinking feeling they had either taken her scolding as a compliment, or they simply found her comical. "It's just that it's a busy time," Sookie regrouped, trying a different tack. "This is high season and the tourists…"

"Surely, you don't intend to place your neighbors in danger," Niall said, changing his tactic as well. He gestured and Claudine started texting on her phone. Sookie mouth dropped open. She didn't know what to say, but somewhere deep inside, her temper was struggling to regroup.

Niall pulled himself straight, managing to stare down his long nose at her. "An ill wish is nothing to play with, Sookie. As I explained before, its power only grows. If this one is returning, its power is great already. It would be nothing for a bit of bad luck to start a fire while you are in the house. With homes so close together, how could those on either side of you escape? And what of those Fae you lured into using their old sanctuary below? Smoke and fire could suffocate them. Surely, you don't wish that!"

"But, there's nothing that says there will be a fire!" Sookie exclaimed. She managed to hold her defiance for a whole minute, but even her inner voice argued that what her Grandfather suggested was possible. Finally, letting out her breath, she bit her lip and muttered, "But, what would I say to people? How would I explain my going away?"

"You've talked about buying a B&B," Claudine shrugged "Tell people that with the walkers, you are taking to the trails to research the best location. People still gossip about your walk last year. No one will question another stunt pulled by the crazy American!"

"Perhaps we can find you a nice property near the ocean," and Niall's eyes crinkled, "There are several on the trail that were given up because the owners didn't have enough money to get things started. You would be close to us but not too close. You'd have visitors most days and your nights would be free. Wouldn't you like that?"

It was Sookie's old dream and, for a moment, she could almost see the place, low and white-walled, perched close to a beach. She looked around her house and her eyes landed on a photograph she'd taken of her and Eric laughing together. ' _If he returns and I'm gone, will he think I've left him?_ ' her voice whispered. "You are talking as if this is permanent," Sookie grated. "It's not. It's just until things settle." Not waiting for her relatives to confirm what she was saying, Sookie asked, "So, how long do you think we would have to be gone?"

Niall lifted the photograph Sookie had been looking at from its shelf and handed it to her, "We will send word to the Vampire Queen letting her know your whereabouts." Niall patted his Granddaughter's cheek, "As soon as your vampire is free to return, we will make sure he knows where to find you."

"If I could just speak with him…" Sookie sighed.

"It wouldn't be a good idea," Niall said shortly. "I know Eric's Maker. You could even say, I know him well. It is best you do not draw attention to yourself, for your sake and your vampire's. It will only serve to create problems. Appius is a unique creature." Niall sniffed as if he'd smelled something unpleasant. "Yes, far better to keep yourself occupied...moving forward. Appius will eventually tire of his progeny, he always does, and when than happens, Northman will be free to return to you."

"Are you saying this Appius is holding Eric prisoner?" Sookie asked, thinking of the dozens of texts she'd already sent.

"Prisoner is over-stating it," Claudine jumped in. "I think asserting his rights as Northman's Maker is a better way of describing it."

"I don't understand," Sookie protested.

"Neither do we," Niall replied in a rare show of honesty. Patting his Granddaughter's hand, he told her, "Suffice it to say that the best thing you can do is keep busy. In time, this will pass. The worst thing you can do is waste your life waiting."

' _But I love him_ ,' her voice protested. "He wouldn't want me to sit around feeling sorry for myself," Sookie said, instead.

Claudine headed up the stairs, and then called down. Sookie wasn't surprised to find out there was a barrier spell that prevented any creature from getting into the attic without an invitation. With Eric gone, Sookie had started leaving the door open and the lock unengaged, but with Claudine close, there was a visible barrier, almost like a glowing honeycomb. "Please follow me," Sookie said aloud and stepped forward, more on faith than trust that her words would be enough.

It must have worked because both Claudine and Niall joined her under the eaves. Claudine moved around, helping Sookie gather together her things, but Niall sat on Eric's side of the bed. He reminded Sookie of a detective, sizing up the room. When their eyes met, he'd smile as though this was all a lark, but the smile dropped when she wasn't supposed to see. Sookie came back up the stairs from the bathroom to find Niall on his phone. He was speaking Gaelic. She couldn't understand it, but she'd heard it spoken enough to recognize the soft gutturals and sliding cadence.

"The car will be here shortly," Claudine said as she took the toiletries from Sookie's hands. "We will make arrangements to put your car in storage for now. Don't forget your keys!"

Niall had finished his call, "You can start texting your contacts on the drive to Carriegh. I have already asked someone to reach out to Ian."

"Carreigh?" she asked. "You're sure?"

"The same place we met!" Claudine grinned.

' _The place Eric and I decided to mate_ ,' Sookie remembered, and another tear slipped over her cheek.

"It's where I met your Grandmother," Niall seemed very happy. "It's fitting you should start there, where this adventure began."

"I'm coming back!" Sookie protested again. "This is my home now, Slievemore!"

"Soon," Niall soothed, "but for now, my Sookie, you will learn the ways of the Trooping Fairies and travel the hillsides with your kin."

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie hadn't texted from the car. Almost as soon as the drive got underway, she fell into a deep sleep, leaning against Niall. The sunlight fell over her face, revealed in all its Fae glory. "Look at how she has matured!" Niall purred.

"Still too hybrid for some," Claudine cautioned. "Are you sure about this? Our people have long memories. Even Father's support may not be enough."

"She can't stay among the vampires," Niall sniffed. "I thought Northman would be different, but he can't escape what he is. Look at her!" and Niall scowled. "She suffers because of them!"

"Bonding sickness, yes," Claudine nodded, "but the ill wish? Vampires don't deal in those sorts of spells."

"It is too much to believe she has insulted more than one of us," Niall agreed. "I didn't notice anything particular about the one on her, but if it's capable of returning, it could be subtler than I thought." He stared out the window. "That decreases the possibilities."

"Merrows are capable," Claudine said quickly, but after Niall shot her a sharp look, she added, "but then, there's Rogan. He's certainly capable."

"As are selkies," Niall nodded. "In fact, anyone in our family could have crafted something like it."

"What about that witch?" Claudine asked. "Octavia? She's disappeared rather quickly."

"Witches cast curses," Niall replied. "It wasn't a curse. I can feel the difference."

They looked out the windows at the passing landscape. Between them, Sookie made a sound. "Do you really think he's coming back to her?" Claudine asked.

"Eventually," Niall nodded. "I don't think he can avoid it. The question is when. If Appius decides Eric is attached to her, he will make sure it's long after our Sookie is dust and gone."

"Why is the Roman still walking?" Claudine asked. "I don't understand why they tolerate him. I thought the Transylvania business was a turning point for them. They purged so many. How did Appius escape?"

"Who knows?" Niall shrugged. "Blackmail, luck, favors… I think now it's a misplaced reverence for the oldest among them."

"We should have found another way," Claudine sighed, pulling a curl away from Sookie's face. "She is truly attached to him. It's not just the bond."

"I know," Niall nodded. "But there are creatures much weaker than our Sookie who have survived heartbreak. Sookie will survive, too."

"Perhaps the ill wish was responsible for Breandan finding her," Claudine suggested.

"No," Niall smiled, "because it also allowed her to find us. Not all misfortune is bad luck. Sometimes you need to have disappointment to appreciate the good things in life." A slight smile passed over Sookie's face and the sunlight shone on her hair. "Our Sookie is meant for happiness," Niall predicted. "You will see. This will pass, and she will find her place, growing into her promise."

"You sound very sure," Claudine asked, cocking her head.

"I haven't had any particular vision," Niall acknowledged, "but, I have a strong feeling." He took Sookie's lax hand in his own, "I have faith."

"She will ask us for help in freeing him," Claudine sighed.

"Yes," Niall agreed, "but you know we can't. She will come away from this experience with money, confidence, and a better understanding of our world. That will have to be enough," and Niall Brigant, King of the Seelie, turned back to the window, watching the landscape slip past.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie awoke in a bed. With a start, she realized she was in the same room she'd been given when she'd taken her walk last Fall. The furniture was the same. Even the bedspread was the same. ' _Eric!_ ' her heart cried. They had sat on this same bed, talking into the night, negotiating their pledging. ' _You love me_ ,' she assured herself. ' _I love you_.' Opening her heart, she pushed her need for him as hard as she could. She imagined his face, the way his mouth turned up just before his fangs dropped. She closed her eyes, placing her hand against her cheek, pretending it was his.

She waited, and she pushed again, and then, she felt it. It was just a thread, but she was sure it was him. "Me, too!" she said aloud. "I love you, too!" She rolled to her back, her hands reaching between her legs. She stroked and plucked, opening every part of her feelings, fixing Eric's face in her mind's eye. ' _For you!_ ' she sent, her body responding with frightening speed. As she gasped afterward, her fingers feeling the pulsing of her pussy, she thought as hard as she could, " _Come home to me, Eric. Come home,_ _Älskade!_ "

It was there again, sweet and pure. He loved her. She was cherished. It was enough. "I won't lose faith," she whispered. "I won't stop waiting for you."

Outside the door, Sookie could hear people moving around. The clock on the wall told her it was the time walkers traditionally arrived. Soon, Joyce, the landlady, would be sending them on their way to the pub down the street for dinner. Almost on cue, Sookie's stomach growled. She was in the bathroom washing her face when the knock came at the door.

"You look much better!" Joyce told her. Just seeing the landlady's face brought back so many memories, Sookie's eyes started to brim with tears. "Now, now!" Joyce tutted, mistaking Sookie's reaction for grief, "Your Grandfather and Claudine are downstairs waiting for you. I understand they're taking you someplace special for dinner."

Sookie glanced down at her blue jeans. "I guess if it's somewhere special, I should change."

"I'll let them know," Joyce winked. Before she left, the landlady said, "I'm happy to have you back. You always have a place here."

It was a kind thing to say, so Sookie thanked her, but in her head, she sang, ' _Temporary. Eric is coming back to me and my place is with him!_ '

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Even before they turned into the driveway, Sookie knew they were headed to the same house in the hills where Eric had taken her to meet her Grandfather the first time. It seemed an age ago. Sookie remembered how foolish she felt that night, thinking Eric had misled her, or that she'd misread his intentions. ' _We both tried to hide,_ ' she thought. She remembered that night in the little park in Slievemore not so long ago. Heading to their new house, he'd pulled her close and told her they were fated for each other. ' _You are coming back for me!_ ' she repeated, ' _and I will be waiting for you, no matter how long it takes_.'

Sookie didn't understand what hold Eric's Maker had over him, but she was convinced it was powerful. What's more, Sookie was sure that Appius Livius Ocella did not mean Eric well. It wasn't in what people said, it was in what they didn't say. Opening her eyes, Sookie thought about tonight. She knew there would be more Fae inside. Vampires were close-mouthed about their doings, but Seelie seemed willing to gossip about everyone.

Lifting her chin, Sookie made sure she felt full Fae. It required both willingness and confidence, and for the first time, she saw the glow emanating from her own skin, just as her Grandfather had said.

Tonight, the windows were bright with light and there were men at the doors. ' _Guards_ ,' Sookie realized.

They bowed to her Grandfather. "Are you ready?" he asked. Tilting her head back a little more, Sookie answered by smiling and slipping her arm through his.

Niall Brigant looked every inch a Seelie King. He wore a modern suit, but on his head was a crown of flowers and willow wands. His white blond hair flowed loose around his shoulders and his green eyes flashed and glowed. "Good Spring!" he greeted the Seelie they passed.

"Blessings!" they called back. Sookie didn't say anything, but she could feel the speculative stares that followed her. They passed through many rooms and Sookie could feel the enchantment of the place flowing like clean water through her veins. So far, they hadn't seen many Seelie and she started to wonder if this was all there were. Eric had told her more than once that the Seelie were a failing race.

"It's not a high holiday," Niall told her. "There are fewer here than usual. I thought it would be best for your first presentation." Sookie glanced at her Grandfather. He wasn't looking at her, but, once again, it was as though he could read her thoughts.

"Can you?" she asked.

"At times," he said softly. "It is not a common gift," and he patted her hand. They turned another corner and they found themselves in a large room that might have been the same where she ate dinner with Grandfather and Claudine, but now it was full of light and a throne sat at one end.

More Seelie were gathered here, their clothes a mixture of modern and long, flowing, fairytale dress. There was a harper seated near the throne and he was singing. ' _Where's the camera?_ ' Sookie's inner voice snarked.

Beside her, her Grandfather rumbled, then pressed her hand harder. Claudine stepped from behind them, gliding in her graceful way toward the throne. "Father!" she called.

Sookie recognized Dillon. He wore a crown similar to Niall's and he unfolded gracefully from the throne, stepping forward to wrap his arms around his daughter. Niall stopped them well forward, and Sookie realized she was holding her breath.

Dillon lifted his head and for an uncomfortable moment, Sookie thought he would order her away, but he seemed to make up his mind. Stepping forward he opened his arms, and Niall dropped Sookie's arm to do the same. They embraced, kissing each other. Dillion spoke first, "Welcome, King of the North!"

"My greetings and blessing to you, King of the South," Niall replied. They kept arms looped around each other and Sookie understood why. Holding a Seelie was to feel alive.

Sookie took a ragged breath and, despite her faltering resolve, she continued to hold her head high. Dillon's eyes returned to hers and he stepped toward her. Sookie wondered if she should open her arms as Claudine and Niall had, but Dillon stopped well short. Holding out his hand, he waited. Stepping forward, Sookie gave him her hand and bowed to him, using the same depth she used for Queen Sophie-Ann. When she straightened, Dillon drew her closer, drawing her arm through his. "Come sit beside me, Cousin," he said. "I have music this evening. My harper sings of Spring and the joy of new things."

"I'd be honored," Sookie stammered. She figured she'd used the right words because no one hissed, but then she wondered if that was a vampire thing and Seelie kept their disapproval to themselves.

Still, no one stared daggers at her. A chair was brought and before she knew it, Sookie had a goblet in her hand. Whatever it was smelled of flowers and tasted of honey. It was also amazingly alcoholic and Sookie realized only two sips had her head buzzing in a most pleasant way.

The music was wonderful. The singing was all in Gaelic, but Sookie was sure she understood the meaning, if not the words, and her thoughts drifted to Eric. She played through her memories of their times together. She thought of his face as he stood before her at their pledging. She thought of his joy as they danced together, his strong arms swinging her easily through the air. She thought of how brave she felt flying with him, never doubting he would keep her safe. As the song ended, Dillon stood. "It's time to eat," he announced. He offered his arm to Claudine and Niall stepped forward to escort Sookie.

The food before them looked familiar, but the taste was something more. Sookie ate heartily, but then slowed, something warning her about eating too deeply of the food of the Fae. When dinner ended, they returned to the throne room. Chairs were moved back and more musicians entered. Sookie found herself pulled forward and she danced with the Seelie. They danced in circles and they danced in lines. Their feet moved quickly and it was all she had to keep up with them. After a bit, they moved outside and Sookie found herself dancing around a great fire under the moon. It seemed to go on for hours and hours. Sookie wondered that her feet weren't aching or her armpits dripping sweat, but she wasn't. ' _It's because I'm touching them_ ,' Sookie realized. She knew her Grandfather could heal her, but any Seelie could make her feel renewed.

"It comes!" one shouted, and Sookie followed the gazes of those around her to the far horizon. " _When's the last time I watched the sunrise?_ ' she wondered. She'd stayed awake until dawn many times, but her vampire dropped into his day death before the sun rose and she followed him.

It was magical. One minute, all the land around her was pale grey, even the glow of her companions quenched as though in honor of the sun, and then light began to touch the rocks and high points around them. The Seelie closed their eyes and lifted their faces and Sookie watched as a ray of sun captured Niall, and then Dillon. One by one, the sun seemed to single out the Seelie, bathing their faces in bright light, and then, the sun captured her as well. ' _Kissed by sunlight_ ,' she thought.

"She is one of us," someone murmured beside her. Sookie glanced in the direction of the voice, but she couldn't tell who said it. They were all staring at her and Sookie knew this had been a test she passed.


	47. Chapter 46 - Plain Sight

**Chapter 46 – Plain Sight**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

When Eric rose that evening, Sookie was lying beside him. She was smiling in her sleep. She seemed to do it often and it made him smile seeing it. Her scent emanated from the sheets. It didn't matter how often he covered her with his, it was her essence that won; sun, wheat and spring wind. He caught sight of his face in the mirror across the room and he saw his Father. ' _I'm besotted_ ,' he chuckled, but he didn't wish to change a thing. "What wouldn't I do for you?" he whispered, rolling over just enough to free his hand so he could touch her.

"Bad tempered, ignorant, loyal, brave…" and he couldn't help laughing again. She moved, and he pulled his hand back. "Wife," he finished. He remembered his Father sparring with his Mother. Sometimes their banter turned to fighting, their voices raised in such fury it caused him and his siblings to seek shelter in other houses, though they rarely stayed angry. They were passionate people who lived fully. They might push at each other, teasing and challenging, but let someone else say a cross word and they became a fearsome team. ' _Foreplay_ ,' Eric realized. They never said it, but he had no doubt his parents were devoted to each other. ' _As I am to you_ ,' he thought, gazing at his sleeping mate.

He was deciding how to wake her. He thought of the steps she would take as she found consciousness. First, she would scrunch her face and try to ignore him. For a moment, her mouth would purse and then, she'd pout. It was his favorite part, when her lower lip pushed forward just a bit.

He was leaning forward when he was interrupted by his phone. It was Kiernan. Eric could tell because he'd had each of his Sheriffs programmed with a different tone, and they knew not to signal him during this hour unless it was important.

With a sigh, Eric rolled over, then stilled while he read the message. ' _Your Maker is on an Anubis flight to Dublin."_

Sookie chose that moment to sigh, and Eric felt his balls shrivel. ' _When?_ ' he texted and within seconds he had the hangar number and arrival time. He had barely an hour to get there and intercept Appius. If he didn't, his Maker would be in the wind and it might take Eric some time to track him down.

' _What drew you here?'_ he wondered _. 'You returned to Moscow. You decided against coming here. What changed your mind?_ ' There were many possibilities, but only one made sense. Eric talked too much in Scotland. He boasted of his dealings and relationships and the efficiency of those he trained. It had been so long since he'd seen his Maker, his desire to impress Appius had overcome his better judgement. He'd brought this test on himself. Appius had done it before, shown up to verify what he'd been told. It was his way of making certain his progeny understood the importance of being honest.

Sookie chose that moment to make another sound and Eric stilled. He hadn't been honest with his Maker, not entirely, not about this. Eric shivered. ' _It will be well_ ,' he assured himself, but his worry lingered. ' _I will defend you_.' The words sprang into his mind. His mother had wielded a sword when needed, but he knew his father felt his place was standing between his mate and danger. ' _And so is mine_.'

Silently, Eric rose and gathered his clothes. He plotted out the next few hours, running through contingencies, his mind racing. Sometimes Appius stayed for a day or two and if that happened, Eric would take him to Ballytyne. With two light-tight chambers, it would be best there.

He turned and found Sookie's eyes on him. "Where are you going?" she asked. He felt the pull. He wanted nothing more than to rip off his clothes and claim her, warming the cold that had settled in his heart. Her warmth would envelope him and her blood would sing through his veins, yet he held back. He couldn't have her scent on him. There would be time once the danger had passed and his Maker headed back to Russia.

"Something came up. It was unexpected, but nothing to worry about. I'll be back before dawn." He knew he might be lying, but he played the odds.

Appius would be amused to find Eric waiting on the tarmac. His Maker would be satisfied that Eric's networks had alerted him. If things went as expected, they would talk, and Appius would leave. It was what he'd done in past and with his Maker's dislike for Queen Sophie-Ann, it was likely.

Eric leaned down to capture his mate's lips and her hand lay soft against his cheek. He could feel her confusion. He had been making an effort to discuss his official business in advance, bringing her more into their supernatural life, but this was different. As he pulled away, her lip pouted. Another woman might have taken him to task, carping and complaining about his evasiveness, but his Sookie just collapsed back onto their bed, making the air around them move, and perfuming the room with her scent.

"Hurry home," she said instead, and Eric raced down the stairs, her scent filling his nostrils.

The traffic on the highway leading to the airport moved easily. Eric multi-tasked, erasing messages and pictures from his phone. It was another habit, handing his phone to Appius. His Maker would amuse himself, scrolling through Eric's email and contacts list, questioning in his shorthand way. ' _Catching up_ ,' he called it. Since Eric had already scrubbed the phone before seeing Appius in Scotland, it didn't take long. He could have purchased a burner phone, but it would have made Appius suspicious. Better the usual messages and documents between himself and his business associates. He considered wiping out all Sookie's messages, but he left a few. It would not have been credible to have nothing between himself and his bonded, particularly as it was known they shared a residence. Eric scanned the texts, keeping those that didn't refer to emotions. She'd started texting him nude selfies, so he deleted those, too.

' _A test_ ,' Eric assured himself, pulling up to the far side of the hangar. The plane was visible, starting its journey from the runway. Eric rushed to the other side of the building, so he would be there when the ladder lowered. It was only then he noticed he wasn't alone. The Queen's limo was idling nearby and Andre beside it, watching the plane.

"I didn't expect to see you." Eric struggled to keep his tone neutral. It was possible there was someone else on the plane, but knowing Appius, it didn't seem likely.

"You're in trouble, Northman," Andre informed him. "You stand accused of conspiring with the Seelie. There's a story circulating that the purpose in hiring your Sheriffs was so you could be free to spy for Niall Brigant and that you're conspiring with them to stage a takeover."

"What are you talking about? That is ridiculous!" It seemed impossible for anyone to believe such a far-fetched story, but, for the first time, Eric felt fear as he watched Appius' plane approach. "I've been straight with you, Andre," Eric bargained, "You and our Queen have made money because of me. Grant me the favor of knowing what's being said about me before my Maker arrives."

"The rumor came through the witches," Andre hissed-spoke. "There is talk your mate has unusual powers. They say she can destroy us with a glance and you knew about it. Is it true, Northman?"

"Of course not," Eric lied. His mind raced, running down the list of those who knew about Sookie. There was Claudine and Niall, of course, Rogan and Breandan, too, but he couldn't see any of them endangering his mate since it would endanger all the Seelie also. He was pretty sure Pam knew about Sookie's powers and maybe her friend, Maryann, but he eliminated both as well. Niall had been sending various creatures to train his wife. It was possible one of them said something that was blown out of proportion. He didn't think Octavia would betray Sookie, but he asked, "Was it Octavia Fant who called?"

"No," Andre shook his head, "No, she's fled. Everyone knows she was working with your bonded. She was worried for her life." Eric wondered why he hadn't heard about this earlier, but Andre added, "I had the warning delivered to her earlier today. She left this afternoon. America."

"You don't believe this story," Eric stated. There were only so many reasons that would bring Andre here to meet his Maker's plane and none of them good. So far, the Queen's Second had been cooperative, even cordial, but it didn't explain why Andre was here.

"I'm reserving judgment," Andre sniffed. "You've always been too laissez-faire toward other races. It makes our kind distrust you…or want to knock you down." Andre glanced sideways. "The Queen wants you neutralized until this is all sorted," and Andre's smile turned grim, "It wasn't her first instinct. She's still angry with you and herself. She blames you for your bonding." When Eric didn't say anything, Andre chuckled, "You have the worst luck, Eric. Why is that?"

An idea was forming in Eric's mind, not a good one. What if Appius hadn't chosen to come? What if he'd been summoned? "Sookie…" He spoke her name. Andre stared at him, and then he could see Andre's understanding.

"She'll be safe, Northman," Andre told him. "Sophie-Ann called Niall first. She told him he needed to reclaim your mate. Under the circumstances, it was the smart move."

"Was it your suggestion?" Eric asked.

"My Queen's pleasure," Andre answered. "Of course, these rumors get started and never turn out to be anything, but our Queen doesn't want the responsibility of Sookie's safety while the truth is discovered." Eric opened his mouth, but Andre held up a hand. "The Seelie told her they have watchers in place. Your bonded will be perfectly safe until her relatives can remove her to Seelie territory." Andre looked at the plane, which was just starting to make the turn toward them. "She called Appius before I could stop her. You know Sophie-Ann. She was in a fine rage, not thinking about the consequences. Your Maker was her second call, though. She secured your mate first before deciding how to get you out of the way. She's hoping it's all a lie. The money she's pulling in from her partnership with your Good-Father is making her rich." Andre chuckled, "If it's any consolation, you know she likes you, at least. She could have just ordered your final death."

"So, why are you here, Andre?" Eric asked.

"To take your Maker to reclaim you, but since you're here, we won't need to track you down. Really most considerate of you, Northman." Andre gave Eric a long look, "You should know, Sophie-Ann regrets forcing your bonding. She wanted you as her consort, even if we both know it would have been a terrible idea. She thought she could keep you in line, which we both know is impossible, but she is right about this," and Andre nodded at the plane. "Your Maker is the only one capable of overcoming any influence your mate and the Seelie exert over you."

"Surely, she doesn't believe this story!" Eric hissed.

"No, she doesn't, not really, but she feels by handing you over to Appius, it eliminates possibilities. She may not like The Roman…" and Andre held up his hand to stop Eric's protest, "but she knows you won't cross him. You should appreciate how much our kind fears your strength and abilities. Everyone was worried about you being used as an enforcer for the Seelie. They believe if there were a war, your being on their side would tip things in their favor."

"Who is speaking of war?" Eric asked.

"The witches," Andre answered.

Time was running out and the reality of what would happen next was settling in. ' _It was a dream,'_ Eric thought. ' _I was foolish to believe I could escape my fate. It is as it has always been, I find happiness only to have it ripped away_." Eric felt the bitterness of the moment. There would be no more conversations about turning, no future forever. ' _My forever is vampire_ ,' he reminded himself, ' _as the child of Appius Livius Ocella_.'

The plane was close, and Eric's mind clicked to the other woman in his life who faced danger from his Maker. He pulled out his phone, texting Pam. ' _Appius is taking me. Niall has Sookie. Don't interfere. Stockholm_.' He waited until he was sure it went through, then erased the words.

Now the pieces fell into place. The Roman had Queen Sophie-Ann's support. Appius had been summoned. Appius came. Appius would demand Eric surrender to reinstating his Maker's command. Eric could fight. He could kill both Andre and Appius, but, if he did, there would be nowhere to hide. No ruler would offer him sanctuary. Sookie and Pam would be in constant danger. Unconsciously, Eric's head bowed, acknowledging his fate.

Eric thought of texting Sookie, he yearned for it. His non-beating heart ached in his chest, remembering how he'd seen her only an hour before, promising to return to her. ' _I will break my word to you this last time_ ,' he grieved, and then, " _I will miss you_."

Eric imagined his mate, her quick temper and quicker smile. He remembered how her chin lifted and her hands fisted at her hips when her loyalty was challenged, her words angry in defense of him, of them.

As the plane powered down, Eric mentally ran through what he thought of as their best moments. He tucked each one away, deep in his psyche, not knowing when he would have another opportunity to enjoy them. ' _I wish I could explain this to you, my wife_ ,' he thought, not daring to send his love through their bond, not with Appius so near. It was small consolation, but he knew her Grandfather would do whatever necessary to keep his Sookie safe. ' _He cares for her. He knows I won't hurt her. He knows I love her_ ,' Eric thought, and then he cleared his mind, preparing for what was coming.

The door opened, and Appius appeared. Andre squared his shoulders, but Eric did as was expected. He fell to one knee and bowed his head. Eric didn't look up; he had no need. Soon enough his Maker's shoes came into view.

"I'm glad your Queen informed me," Appius told Andre. "I felt something was wrong in Scotland. It appears my progeny was not as precise in his communications with me as he should have been."

"There is no proof to these rumors," Andre replied, "none at all. The Queen has asked we track down the source, which is a wise move. After all, war is a dangerous thing. Under the circumstances, without proof, we could find these rumors manipulating us into starting one."

"I appreciate your kindness in allowing me to remove my progeny from harm's way," and Eric felt his Maker's hand rest on his head. "Still, you would not be taking these steps if there wasn't some wisp of suspicion." It was hard not to protest, but Eric knew this was not the time. Instead, he focused on the pool of water he visualized within his mind, diving deep to keep his thoughts clear and calm. He heard Andre assure Appius that Eric's new Sheriffs would step in, handling his Child's duties while he was gone. "The Viking is our strong right hand," Andre added. "As soon as this is resolved, we expect Eric's return. He is, after all, pledged to our Queen for another fifty years."

"Which means she would be within her rights to end him for allowing such a story to attach itself," Appius said. Now, Eric felt the slight pressure that told him Appius wished his attention.

"Master," and Eric raised his head.

Appius slapped him, hard enough to knock him over. "I am ashamed to be standing here!" Appius snarled.

Eric pulled himself into a kneeling position again. He felt the drip that told him his lip was split. Refusing to show weakness, he balanced on one knee, turned his face to his Maker, and prepared to accept more punishment. "Master," he said once more.

Appius' eyes narrowed, "It is possible this is nothing more than a story," he conceded. "Still, my Child, you allowed this stain on your honor, my honor! It shows lack of care on your part. Didn't I warn you about the dangers of consorting with those unworthy of you? Now look at what has happened! I have to be called to come and collect you, to guard you from yourself!" Appius sniffed, and then his eyes narrowed. It was a certain expression Eric had come to recognize and he fought to maintain his composure.

"You will agree to come under my command again," Appius proclaimed. He looked at Andre, "If it turns out to be nothing more than a rumor, you will contact me, and I will release my Child to fulfill his duty. If it turns out he was involved in some plot against his Queen," and Appius smiled, "if that is the case, I will return him and order him to meet the sun." He turned to Eric. "Do you agree?"

Without warning, Eric thought of laying hands on his Maker and it chilled him. It wasn't possible. There were times he hated this vampire, but, in the end, this was his Maker. To destroy him was to destroy himself.

'… _and Sookie!_ ' the voice within reminded. If Appius survived and Eric was killed, His Maker would take retribution by killing Sookie… Maybe Pam as well. "I consent," Eric agreed.

It wasn't done often, the reinstating of a Maker's hold. Such things were generally reserved for the newly-made when they were freed too soon. Eric felt the shame rest heavy, but he knew the humiliation of being treated as a new vampire was part of his punishment.

"You are witness," Appius told Andre, and it was done. Eric felt his Maker within him, not through choice, but through the magic that made them. He dove deep in the pool he'd created, remembering how he'd found ways to save small parts of himself from his Maker's endless scrutiny.

"Get up!" his Maker ordered, and Eric rose. Together, they returned to the plane. Eric handed Appius his phone before taking his seat. "You will like Russia," Appius said, "once we dispense with your punishment."

There was a sound as Eric's phone received a text. It was her tone, the one he'd programmed for Sookie. Appius glanced and then turned the phone to Eric. She'd sent him a boob shot. Eric tried not to react, returning his eyes to Appius. "It seems we have a great deal to talk about," his Maker purred, and Appius entered his thoughts, forcing his way, cudgeling his progeny mentally as he had when Eric was new.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Niall Brigant rarely answered his phone. He preferred to allow calls to roll to voicemail. If it were truly an emergency, the caller would know to contact Dillon or Claudine. However, there were some calls he didn't screen, including calls from the vampire Queen. "My dear Sofie-Ann," he answered, using his 'most delighted' voice, "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"You must think yourself very clever!" the vampire hissed. "Planting your ugly duckling in my Court! You must have laughed at how I've allowed her to swan around, flaunting her Seelie face! I can't believe I trusted you!"

"I don't understand. What has Sookie done?" Niall was confused. His spies at the Queen's Ball reported his Granddaughter was well-received. She was charming, and the vampires treated her well. If anyone had a complaint, it was him! Sookie was being too easily assimilated into vampire society, which was weakening any allegiance he might try to claim.

"I suppose you'll expect an invitation to my parties next, hmm?" the Queen growled. "As my business associate, you'd tell me. You'd bring guards, and then, you'd turn her loose!"

His sixth sense told him this conversation was more serious than it sounded. "I don't know what you're talking about," he soothed the Queen. "Our partnership has proven lucrative for both of us. Assume I am innocent in this and please explain to me what's upset you so."

"I received a message tonight from one of my subjects, Chow. He's a partner with Sheriff Northman in one of those pub ventures. He passed along information he received from one of his employees, some witch."

"You consort with those creatures?" Niall sneered. He knew Sookie was taking magic lessons from one, still, it didn't make witches palatable. If hybrids were distasteful, witches were worse.

"So does your Granddaughter!" Sofie-Ann snapped, proving she was just as well-informed.

"Point taken," Niall conceded. "So, what did this witch have to say about my Granddaughter?"

"It wasn't about her directly," and Sofie-Ann's voice dropped an octave. "Chow wanted us to pass a message to your Granddaughter's witch, Octavia Fant. The coven in Carrack is moving to have her killed."

"Assassinating one of their own?" For some reason, Niall found the thought amusing. "I didn't know those creatures did that. What has this to do with Sookie?"

"It's because the witch is teaching your Granddaughter magic. You told me Sookie had magic. You didn't tell me it's the kind of magic able to kill our kind!" Sofie-Ann threw it out, like a gauntlet, and Niall gasped.

It was involuntary, and the Seelie scrambled to cover his lapse. "What a preposterous story!" he blustered. "Sookie is a hybrid. Of course, she has the Fae face, most hybrids do, and, yes, I've looked the other way while she plays with her witch lessons. I don't know if she's learning anything, but if it makes her feel more Fae in the circles in which she travels, then I don't object. My Granddaughter is in a difficult position and you know how grateful I am that you have given her a place. Without you and Northman…"

"So you're telling me Sookie doesn't have high magic?" There was something in her tone that told Niall the Queen knew something; the question was, how much?

"She has simple magics," Niall temporized. "She manages household chores, attracts birds, that sort of thing. If she were truly magic, Rogan and Breandan would have discovered it long ago. What does Northman say? He's close to her."

It was a gamble, but Niall was certain Eric would never betray the woman he'd professed to love. "Of course, you'd throw up my Sheriff!" and Sofie-Ann's anger escalated once again. "How exactly did you subvert him? Money? The promise of some part of the kingdom?"

"Perhaps we should meet." Niall was running out of patience. "I would be amenable, although it would need to be somewhere neutral. With the direction this conversation is taking, I'm sure you'd agree."

"I have no interest in meeting with you…" and then the Queen's voice was replaced by Andre's.

"Greetings, Niall Brigant," Andre greeted. There was the sound of something breaking in the background, but Andre appeared to take no notice. "As my Queen informed you, the message came through one of our subjects. This coven accuses Octavia Fant of training your Granddaughter to tap into the darker arts. The rumor is that Sookie is capable of creating columns of white light that can consume flesh." Niall's throat closed, and he bit his lip to avoid making a sound, congratulating himself once again on resisting the use of Skype for these calls. "The inference is that you planted her among us, so once she is fully capable and has gained our trust, she will be the primary actor in killing our Queen and taking over our kingdom."

Niall laughed. There was nothing else to do. He had purposely discouraged Sookie from practicing that skill, focusing her attention on other magics. Only a handful of creatures had seen her form the column of light, and even fewer had seen her move it to her will. While he hadn't specifically forbidden Sookie from practicing it, Niall wondered if she'd exposed herself by showing off. It seemed unlikely. Sookie was still ignorant of the many dangers surrounding her, but her wary nature governed her. She had resisted Claudine's request when her cousin prodded her to demonstrate her skills. Niall couldn't see Sookie setting up in some public place, running through her repertoire for strangers.

Putting on his most jovial appearance, knowing it would carry to his voice, Niall offered, "If I promise on the lives of my family that neither Sookie nor any of my subjects have the slightest interest in taking over your kingdom, will this satisfy your Queen?"

Andre made a sound and Niall got the impression the Queen's Second was distracted, but then he was back. "It helps," Andre replied, "but I'm afraid this is something that may take some time to settle. You see, Northman's name has been tied into this…"

"What makes your Queen think Northman would betray her?" Niall asked.

"His association with you," Andre chuckled. "It's not just you, of course. The Sheriff's become cozy with many creatures."

"You vampires are too narrow," Niall sneered.

"Look who's talking," Andre shot back. "The Seelie aren't exactly known for their open and welcoming attitude. After all, there's a reason you parked your Granddaughter with us…" and Andre left it hang.

"Still," Niall sniffed, "Eric was instrumental in saving you from that American King. If the Viking hadn't come forward, you'd be finally dead…"

"As would he," Andre pointed out. "There are some who say it gave him the idea. Of course, he can't be King in his own right, not while his Maker walks, but if he were the Good-Son of the King…"

"Make up your mind!" Niall snapped. "Either the Seelie are too narrow, or we welcome the world. We can't incorporate our own half-blood. What madness would suggest us capable of welcoming those who have no claim on our blood at all?" Niall took a deep breath, "I wish in some ways it were possible. You know the fate we face, and it edges closer every day."

"Then, why not kill all those who continue?" Andre asked. "Why should others continue, when you won't?"

"A stark idea," Niall sniffed, "a world where the Fae are gone. No, Andre. The Seelie are selfish, but not in that way. Frankly, I refuse to give up all hope." Niall sighed, "You may know that when I asked for sanctuary for Sookie, I told your Queen I considered her alliance with Northman temporary. You see, Sookie may be capable of breeding…"

"It must have angered you to have them bonded, then," Andre suggested.

"For a bit," Niall conceded, "but the magic of our kind can overcome the effects, if not the reality of a vampire bond. You vampires bond with your humans for any number of reasons."

"To monitor," Andre agreed, "but those relationships are one way. That's not what happened with them. Northman opened himself to your Granddaughter as well."

"A gallant gesture," Niall agreed. "It is one of the many reasons I consider Northman a friend." Niall waited a moment before pushing Andre to come to the point. "What are you asking of me?"

"Northman is under suspicion because of his association with your Granddaughter. Sofie-Ann is sending him somewhere safe until the rumors stop. She would also like you to remove Sookie to some other guardian…" and Niall could visualize the Second's smile, "for her own protection, you understand."

Niall thought of the happiness his Granddaughter found with the vampire, and Northman's own vows. "I doubt the vampire will leave voluntarily," Niall ventured.

"I agree," and Niall was certain he detected some sympathy. "That is why the Queen has decided to contact Northman's Maker. She is certain The Roman will be able to remind Northman what it means to be vampire. He will also be able to overcome any consequences of their bonding by using his Command."

"This will cause them both to suffer," Niall said aloud.

Andre's voice dropped, "It can't be helped. The Queen is determined, and I would think this would satisfy you, as well. This alliance was, as you said, meant to be temporary."

"I've changed my attitude on this point," Niall confessed. "I have come to believe that they are at their best together. Do you think the Queen will be open to negotiation on that point?"

"How would you breed her if she's Northman's?" Andre scoffed.

"Many couples seek outside intervention if they find themselves unable to procreate," Niall replied, "But that doesn't answer my question. If she understood my interest…my devotion to my Granddaughter's happiness, would the Queen consider allowing Northman to remain here?"

"You are not helping your cause," Andre said stiffly. "Besides, it won't matter. You see, she's already called him."

"My Granddaughter will see this as an abduction," Niall said sadly.

"You will need to educate her," Andre replied.

"She is strong-willed," Niall sighed. "She will ask my help in rescuing…"

"If you move against Appius, it will be seen as a declaration of war," Andre flared, then moderating his tone, said, "You know how this works. Northman is vampire, and this is vampire business. They are pledged before the Queen, so that will be honored, but Northman must serve his punishment first."

"Which could take many years," Niall pointed out.

"Which wouldn't matter if she were vampire." Andre sighed, too, "I am not unsympathetic, but she is not truly one of us. If she were, this wouldn't feel so final."

"Of course," Niall replied. He repeated his best wishes for the Queen's good fortune and disconnected the phone. "Oh, Sookie!" he sighed.

He was still sitting in the chair, the room grown dark around him, when Claudine found him.

"Appius is coming," he told her. The Seelie King sat loose-fingered in the chair, forward, lost in thought.

"Why would that worthless sack of shit…?" and then Claudine stilled. "Eric didn't invite him, did he?"

"Northman is in trouble," Niall replied. His eyes narrowed, "It appears someone is talking about Sookie's magic."

"Who?" Claudine asked.

Niall sat back, then pulled his cane to him, turning the curved handle back and forth under his hand. "Sofie-Ann says the story came through the witches. That vampire who works with Northman in Carrack, Chow, he called someone at the vampire Court with the news."

"Was it Octavia?" Claudine asked, her eyes flashing. "I told Sookie witches aren't to be trusted!"

"I have no time for them either," Niall sniffed, "but, no. It seems Chow wished a warning to be sent to Octavia, but appears to have been unwilling to tell her himself. He asked for the warning to be passed along." Niall glanced at Claudine, "It seems things are serious enough that Octavia Fant has fled the country."

"Does she think Sookie threatens her?" Claudine snorted, "Stupid witches!"

"Troublesome witches," Niall corrected. "One of Chow's employees is a member of a local coven. They were planning to kill Octavia. They blame her for teaching Sookie their tricks. They described Sookie's powers in some detail, including those I've discouraged her from showing anyone."

"The white light," Claudine breathed.

"Chow described the column exactly. I believe I've convinced the vampires there's nothing to these rumors, but the story was enough to convince Sofie-Ann that Eric Northman is in league with us. They are accusing us of developing Sookie into a weapon and mating her to Northman to use him in our plan to take over Ireland." Niall's green eyes glittered as he watched his full-blooded Fae Granddaughter absorb the news.

After a few moments, Claudine asked, "Is it true?"

Niall laughed, filling the room with light, "Of course not, although in some ways I wish I had thought of it! No, no…" and he shook his hair back, "I like things the way they are! Vampires have their use, as do all Fae. Besides, it they were all subject to me, how could I cheat them or charge them too much? It would make our lives far too tame!"

"If Appius is coming, we can't leave Sookie with Northman," Claudine concluded.

"Appius is not staying," Niall informed his Granddaughter. "He's come to claim Eric. He will reinstate his Maker's command and then Northman is leaving with him."

"Poor Sookie!" Claudine sighed.

"Indeed," Niall nodded. "She can't be left defenseless, not with these kinds of stories being circulated. She will be a target for every wandering Fae with a grudge or an eye toward blackmail."

"And there's bonding sickness," Claudine added.

"Contact with our kind will offset the worst of it," and Niall stood. "She will have to be brought to us. There's no other option."

"But Father!" Claudine exclaimed.

"I suspect Dillon will be more kindly disposed toward her." Niall winked, "He ate her food and told me he was charmed by her."

"Not the same thing as allowing her to walk among us!" Claudine replied. "You saw what happened when there was just a suggestion of her joining us for Beltane! I had a headache for days from the shouting."

"A tempest in a teapot," Niall sniffed. "It is past time Sookie joined us. She has proven her powers. She has impressed both leprechauns and merrows. She showed her true face to the vampires. She has earned this." Niall started walking toward the rooms where Dillon held Court.

Claudine shook her head, and then half-ran, half-walked, dogging her Grandfather's elbow. "If you simply bring Sookie without warning, things will not go well. You know this!" When Niall showed no signs of stopping, Claudine protested, "You have made Father King of the South. That gives him a voice in this. If he objects and you install her in the North Kingdom, it will create friction where none should exist!"

Claudine's words finally seemed to make an impression. Niall slowed, and then stopped. "I will have this," he told her. "Still, it may be that some groundwork could ease the way." Placing his hands on Claudine's shoulders, he drew her toward him. "You think clearly, a good trait. I still believe your Father will agree, but I also agree he's not always at his best when confronted with surprises. I will begin working on him tonight, but, in the meantime, we must set a guard on Sookie."

"I believe the house she shares with Northman has wards in place," Claudine sniffed.

"Wards placed by witches?" Niall smirked. "Are you telling me that now you believe in their powers?" He didn't wait for Claudine's answer, "Besides, these are the same witches who object to Sookie's use of magic. Who knows what they may be capable of, perhaps removing the wards, or turning them against her? No, we must send someone to keep an eye on Sookie until she may be brought within our sphere."

Claudine had a sinking feeling her Grandfather meant to volunteer her, but then, Niall said, "Of course! There is someone there already, someone Sookie knows! Claude spends more time in that town than any other. No one would question his being there every day. He could say it's an audit or inventory."

"Claude?" and Claudine's eyes narrowed. "I don't think Claude…"

"Just because you are vying with your brother doesn't mean you should doubt him!" Niall cut Claudine off. "Your brother has made great strides in putting his past behind him. He has been industrious and quite solicitous. Your Father speaks well of him…"

"It's just I don't think Claude and Sookie get along," Claudine said, trying a different tack.

"Nonsense!" Niall laughed. "Claude told me they have even forged some business arrangements that benefit both the vampire's pub and our hotel." He placed his hand over Claudine's cheek, "Be at peace, my dear one! Your brother will understand the importance of this assignment. He will watch over Sookie for my sake. Have faith!"

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Pam stared at her phone. Her fingers hovered, but she knew better than to reply. ' _Stockholm_.' It was their code word.

The existences of vampires had improved in the last hundred years, but there were still risks. Having your Maker taken and possibly forced to do things was a risk. There were rival factions, other species… Stockholm was the plan they devised for this scenario.

Pam glanced at Maryann and her heart broke. Their future, hers and Eric's, rested on her shoulders. She couldn't tell anyone what she was doing, and she'd have to leave, hiding someplace far away, until Eric could be freed. ' _And I can't fight to free him_ ,' Pam realized. ' _There is no enemy to defeat. We must wait for Appius to release him._ ' Maryann turned, smiling to see Pam watching her. ' _Please, don't make it too long!_ ' Pam pleaded, not sure what Gods might answer.

"I have to go," she announced, holding up her phone. "I'll call you when I know how things are going."

"You and your business!" Maryann shrugged. "Well, you know where I'll be. Full house tonight. Use your key."

Pam kissed Maryann. She wanted to pledge to this woman, but to do that required Eric's permission. As she drove out of town, Pam thought about the last time she'd asked Eric. He had asked her if Maryann agreed to be turned and when Pam admitted they hadn't talked about it, Eric refused to give his permission. "It's something you should know before you commit yourself," he'd told her.

Pam ran through the conversation again, her perfect memory playing it out like a movie in her mind. She'd asked Eric if knowing what he did about Sookie's reluctance would have changed his decision to pledge to his mate. "No," he'd admitted, "but my circumstances were different."

"Not really," Pam challenged him. "You took advantage of the opportunity to get what you wanted. You loved her, you still do."

"I don't want you to face the same problems I have," Eric admitted. "You are my Child. I wish better for you."

' _Is this better?_ ' Pam growled, feeling blood tears prick at her eyes. ' _Bitter_ ,' was the word that seemed most appropriate.

Pam's first stop was the Queen's Court. Sofie-Ann greeted her personally, which was out of character. "It had to be done," the Queen blustered. Pam had seen this before, the quick movements and fluttering hands that signaled the Queen had done something she now regretted.

"How long?" Pam asked.

"As long as it takes to clear things," the Queen replied. She told Pam the story and confirmed Andre was on his way back from the airport. "He thought they would need to find Northman, but your Maker appeared at the airport. Perhaps he was summoned."

Pam knew Appius couldn't summon Eric, but she also knew his Maker maintained an unusual influence over him. It explained why Eric invoked the plan he had. "I instructed Andre to let The Roman know that if we prove the story is just a story, he needs to return Eric to finish his service to me," Sofie-Ann was saying. She delivered the words as if she had been magnanimous, but all Pam could think was how petty the Queen had been to call in Appius at all.

When Sofie-Ann confirmed she hadn't yet ordered Eric's Sheriffs to start their investigation, Pam offered to get things started. "I also wish my Maker to be able to complete his service to you," Pam said with a bow. "Allow me to travel to Carrack. Chow works for us. If this woman is on his staff, we will question her without anyone being the wiser."

Sofie-Ann looked like a deer in the headlights, and then hissed to Sigebert to let her know when Andre returned. ' _She hasn't ordered anything be done_ ,' Pam thought, but then took heart, believing Andre would do what was necessary to put things in motion.

It didn't take long, the drive to Carrack. "I got a call from the Sheriff just now," Chow confirmed, "the Irish one. He said he'd be coming here tomorrow."

"Do we need to wait?" Pam asked. It was acknowledged Pam worked as a Sheriff. Her work and testimony were accepted.

"No, no need," Chow grinned. "In fact, the witch is working tonight." All it took was a suggestion about changing around shift schedules and the woman found herself alone with Chow and Pam in Chow's office. Pam worried about using glamour on a witch, but it turned out to be easy. "Not much of a witch!" Chow chuckled. Both he and Pam had run into the electric buzz that signaled a strong witch. It was tricky. If the witch was strong enough, she could resist glamour altogether. Although neither Chow nor Pam had seen it, there were stories about witches using the moment glamour failed to turn the tables on the vampire, making them the prey, spelling them and causing mayhem.

Patiently, Chow and Pam worked through all the woman remembered and how the story about Sookie's magic was received.

"So, it was an anonymous tip," Pam growled once they released the woman. "Nothing more substantive!"

"But someone supplied enough detail to convince the witches of what they were hearing." Chow shifted. "Someone knew enough about their lore to scare them into wanting to take steps."

"And now, Eric is gone," Pam sniffed.

Chow nodded, then asked, "So, what happens now?" Pam knew he was really asking if the pubs would continue.

"Nothing!" Pam shrugged. "Eric's not finally dead. He's with his Maker. I provide this information to the Queen, lean on her to press her investigation, and we wait. Sofie-Ann says there's a deal to release Eric back to Ireland once the rumor is put to rest."

"You think Sofie-Ann will want him back?" Chow asked. Eric's complicated relationship with his Queen was well-known.

"I think as a matter of pride she'll demand he finish his pledged service to her," Pam said with more confidence than she felt.

Pam headed for her safehouse in town. Opening the floor safe, she extracted one of several packets of documents. ' _One for every occasion_ ,' she thought bitterly. Each packet was labeled with a code name and each code name corresponded to a specific circumstance. Pam thought about the years that had gone into preparing each packet. ' _We didn't consider including anyone aside from us, but why would we? Emotions are things for the weak."_ It was a mantra Eric had drilled into her and Pam knew it was because her Maker had learned it from his own.

Maryann's face came to Pam's mind. She thought of how she already missed this woman and how that loneliness would only grow in the nights to follow. ' _At least we're not bonded_ ,' she thought, but it seemed cold comfort.

The papers in the Stockholm package had all the signatures necessary to remove Eric's name from all assets. The papers transferred ownership of everything to Pam and made her CEO. There were deeds, corporation statements, and bank accounts. There was even a life insurance policy. That last had been a bit of a joke between them. They'd laughed over presenting a pair of fangs to the insurer, arguing it was good as a body for proof of final death. ' _But Appius won't kill you_ ,' Pam thought. ' _No, he'll just make you wish for final death_.'

"I'm sorry, Sookie," Pam whispered. "And you, Maryann." A single, red tear blotted the paper in her hand.

"Damn you, Eric!" Pam snarled. "Why did you let this happen?" though she knew it wasn't really his fault. It was just bad luck and with a final sigh, she reached for her phone and texted the code word to Mr. Cataliades.

It would take a couple days, days filled with play-acting, pretending things were fine, before all the papers were signed and executed. When the day came that Pam would take the plane, whisking her away to America and into hiding, Pam considered slipping away before dawn, leaving her lover lost in sleep. In the end, she couldn't do it. She wouldn't sneak away, leaving Maryann to wonder what happened. Instead, Pam rose, spent the evening helping with dishes, and told Maryann she had to leave on business. "I love you," she'd said.

"What's wrong?" Maryann asked.

"Nothing," Pam lied. "I'll come home as soon as I can." That, at least, was the truth.


	48. Chapter 47 - They Walk in Darkness

**Chapter 47 – They Walk in Darkness**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Sookie was starting to understand the songs and legends. There was a timelessness to her days spent inside the fairy forts. From the outside, the forts looked like everyday structures. Some were mansions with circular driveways, but others were cottages tucked in the hills. She even visited one whose entrance went through a shed. Sookie could tell there was a powerful illusion surrounding these places. "Only someone supernatural can see the structure," Claudine informed her when Sookie asked how the houses managed to evade detection.

Sookie had wondered how ordinary people didn't come to question these places. "What about the post?" she'd asked. "Doesn't the mailman ever say anything?"

"Use your eyes!" Claudine laughed. "Think of the fort as if it were your own face. It shows one thing to the humans and another to those who truly see."

It took some practice, but soon enough, Sookie was able to see the Fae face of the place slip away, leaving her staring at a slight mound surrounded by trees. "I don't understand," she stammered.

"It's our way," Claudine shrugged. "What's more, these places are protected by human law. No one is allowed to disturb a fairy fort. It's an accommodation that's allowed us to co-habit with humans all these years. They don't bother us and as long as they leave our ancestral homes alone, we don't bother them."

From the outside the place looked normal, whether you saw wild ground or manicured homes, inside was another matter. Rooms rambled on, branching one from the other. Sookie wondered if there was any rhyme or reason to the architecture. Most rooms had two or more doors, it was easy to become turned around. One stepped out of one room never knowing if that entry would lead to still other rooms or down a corridor that branched out under the hills.

Even though she knew she was underground, there was rarely a sense of dark or damp. Everywhere Sookie looked, the walls were covered with tapestries and carvings. The floors might be stone or wood, but their surfaces were softened by carpets of dazzling color. The light wasn't electric, but it wasn't candle light either, although if there was one thing you could say about the Seelie, it was that they loved candlelight. There was something about fire that attracted these Fae. ' _Moths to flame_ ,' was a phrase that came readily to mind.

While Sookie was welcome, even encouraged to spend time in the forts, she understood her place was in Carreigh. "You would find it disorienting if you tried to live here," Claudine explained. "We are timeless, you are not."

At first, Sookie thought her cousin was referring to her immortality, but Claudine explained. "You have a natural clock, your circadian rhythm. The Seelie don't rest when we're in our forts. It sounds counterintuitive, but our time spent there serves the same purpose as sleep. If you were to spend too much time, you'd find you'd gone days and nights with no rest. You feel fine because you're surrounded by us, but when you emerge, it can be terrible."

So, Sookie spent her nights at the B&B in Carreigh. Joyce moved Sookie from the room she had stayed in prior to an ensuite farther down the corridor. "You won't be bothered by my other boarders here," was the explanation. Sookie supposed it made sense, but she also knew this had to be a short-term solution. While she knew Joyce was being paid well for her use of the room, there were aspects of this arrangement that weren't convenient for either of them.

The beauty of owning a B&B was you only had to worry about guests for a set number of hours every day. They arrived in the afternoon, you directed them to the pub for dinner, you fed them in the morning, and then turned the rooms. The remainder of your morning and most of your evenings were your own. With a semi-permanent boarder, that changed.

It didn't help that Ian was coming daily with receipts and papers for Sookie. Her customers in Slievemore continued to use her services and the pubs continued to send receipts and bills. It was a great deal of activity up and down her landlady's stairs, so Sookie realized she needed to make decisions. She understood she was no longer welcome in vampire territory. Niall explained it in clear terms. That included any visiting of the Ghoul's Kiss pubs. "It's no longer safe for you," he told her.

Sookie thought Slievemore wasn't exactly vampire territory, but when she mentioned returning to her home, Claudine and Niall quickly changed the subject. ' _But this can't go on_ ,' Sookie thought as she nodded to Joyce's husband, heading out into the daylight. ' _I need a place I can call my own, and these kind people need their privacy back_.'

Every chance she had, Sookie asked about Eric. Had Niall received any news of him? Had anyone mentioned speaking with him? Had anyone heard from Pam? She asked Claudine when Niall was unavailable and with her access to the forts, she asked the other Seelie as well.

"He is in Moscow with The Roman," she was told, and "His progeny has left the country." Beyond that, Sookie was referred to Niall who assured her he would tell her anything new, but day followed week with no progress. Sookie spoke with Maryann every day. The women drew closer, bonded through their shared loneliness and fears.

"What if she never returns?" Maryann sniffed over the phone one night, and Sookie heard the same questions echo in her own head about Eric.

It was hard. They weren't so far apart in terms of geography, but Sookie couldn't go to Maryann and Maryann's business depended on her being there. "I can't think that way!" Sookie pushed back, as much for her own benefit as for her friend's. "I have to believe he's coming back to me, like I know Pam is coming back for you!"

"You will wear yourself out, worrying," Niall scolded Sookie later that week. Once more, she had made the rounds, asking for any news.

Niall turned her toward the mirror so Sookie could see the hollows under her eyes. "He wouldn't wish you to go on this way." Sookie knew she looked exhausted. She lay awake night after night, searching for any sign of Eric through their bond. He seemed gone, but she remembered that one time she'd felt him, and it drove her on.

"Maybe I'm one of those women from the songs," Sookie replied as she slipped from Niall's grasp. "The ones who never recover from their time with the Fae," and then she sniffled, fighting tears. "Like Grandma. Like Mom."

Niall took her hands, his green eyes flickering, "You are not human, my dear. You are made of sterner stuff. It is not your fate to waste away. You are hurting now, but, like the loss of your Mother, you will wake one day to realize your life will continue."

"I love him," she'd said, and the words were a sword through her heart.

Sookie held firm, but as another month slipped past, she felt her resolve falter. Then came the official letter from Mr. Cataliades. She suspected there was a change in the accounts she shared with Eric and Pam, but there was no one to ask. When she called the bank, they were evasive, assuring her she still had full access to the assets, but seeming unable to provide any further information. Now, seeing the familiar name on the bottom of the letter, Sookie felt as if a great shoe had fallen.

Mr. Cataliades wrote that he wished to meet with her to talk through alterations in her shared assets with Eric Northman and Sookie felt her nervousness spike. ' _Eric!_ ' She'd figured out some time ago that the attorney was more than he appeared, but she hadn't heard from him since the closing of her Mother's estate. Now, Mr. Cataliades was back and using her husband's name.

They met in the pub down the street from the B&B. The sun was shining and it heightened Sookie's sense of unreality. The attorney was unchanged, looking exactly as he had when Sookie thought him no more than a blessedly convenient neighbor in Massachusetts. Now, sitting across from him, she found she couldn't speak. She barely slept the night before, wondering what news the attorney might give her, and she fidgeted, her hands moving nervously, touching first the napkin and then the silver.

Finally, she couldn't stand the silence any longer. She asked, "Do you know where he is? Is he all right?"

"Mr. Northman?" Mr. Cataliades asked, and then before Sookie could answer, he nodded. "He remains in Russia, attending to his Maker."

"Can you help me contact him?" Sookie asked. Sookie could hear the desperation in her voice, but she'd been met with resistance from everyone else. Maybe this attorney…

"I don't have a direct way to do that," he told her. Mr. Cataliades wore the same expression the doctor had used when he told Sookie there were no more treatments available for her Mother. Sookie felt her throat close, her disappointment overwhelming her, but she took a deep breath, lifted her chin and, finally, gave a quick nod.

Mr. Cataliades seemed perfectly comfortable waiting for her to gather herself. He sipped his tea and nibbled on a cookie. A part of Sookie wanted to leave, to retreat back to her upstairs room and cry, but she realized there were other things this person might be able to tell her.

"So, when I met you in America, did you know the whole time what I was?" she asked.

"I knew who you were," Mr. Cataliades corrected. "I miss your Mother. She was a kind person."

Sookie no longer felt the need to cry at the mention of her Mother and that made her sad, too. "She sure wouldn't have guessed this is how I'd end up," Sookie sighed.

Mr. Cataliades surprised her by saying, "But, I suspect your Father wouldn't be surprised."

"Did he know?" Sookie asked. "I mean, really know about all of this?"

"It depends on what you're asking," the attorney said in his precise way. "Did he know he was different? Of course. He understood his heritage, his mother saw to that. But, he also feared what would happen if he tried to come here. He couldn't have foreseen your acceptance, for example. The idea that someone like you…"

"Hybrid," Sookie offered. "That's okay, you can say it."

"He couldn't have foreseen that someone like you would be taken in by the Fae, but you are special, Sookie. You have always been special," and the attorney beamed, leaning back, crossing his hands across his wide stomach.

At the moment, Sookie wasn't feeling special. She was feeling like a bad piece of meat, cut off and abandoned on the side of the plate.

"Perhaps we should talk about my reason for being here," the attorney smiled. He reached down beside him and when he straightened, he had a large, manila folder in his hand. He set it on the table between them, saying, "You should take a look at this. There have been changes made to the assets in which you share ownership. Pamela Ravenscroft has exercised her power of attorney and now you and she are the sole co-owners of many of the instrumentalities, but there are others she has marked for sale. As part owner, you will share in those profits. Pam wanted me to take you through the proposals and if you have objections, I am authorized to address them with you directly.

"Where's Pam?" Sookie stammered. "You know where she is?"

"Minnesota," Mr. Cataliades replied. Sookie immediately thought of her Aunt and Uncle, but as quickly dismissed it. The last place Pam would be found was on some dairy farm. "Is she returning soon?" Sookie asked.

"I believe she is making arrangements. I expect her to return to Ireland shortly," the attorney replied. "She told me she will be contacting people here, although you might wish to keep that to yourself for a bit."

"What's going on?" Sookie asked. "I don't understand any of this! I've asked Grandfather, but he can't explain it, at least, not in any way that I can understand! Why is Pam the executor? Why is she selling things?"

"Has your Grandfather explained why you are with him?" Mr. Cataliades asked.

"Yes," and then Sookie thought about all the things that didn't add up. "Kind of," she qualified.

"The vampire Queen, Sophie-Ann, asked him to take you back," Mr. Cataliades stated. He sat back and Sookie realized he was waiting for her to either confirm or deny that she knew that.

"Yes," Sookie nodded. "And Eric has been sent to his Maker. I have the impression this has to do with me, but no one has really laid it out. All I do know is I was ordered to leave, and since Eric and I are bonded, being close to my relatives is helping me deal with my bonding sickness." The bonding symptoms were becoming easier to manage and Sookie knew it was because Eric's blood was leaving her. Day by day, there was less of what joined them. The day would come when all that remained was magic and Sookie wondered how long that would last. "The rest is pretty muddy," she concluded.

"Well, the basics are accurate," Mr. Cataliades nodded, "but there are details that have a bearing on your situation."

"And you are going to tell me?" Sookie asked.

"Yes," Mr. Cataliades nodded. "Yes, I believe you have a right to know." He tapped the folder. "While Ms. Ravenscroft wasn't specific, one can imply Mr. Northman wished to be removed from his assets."

Sookie flipped open the folder. The first document she saw removed Eric from their business account. "I'm not sure I follow," Sookie puzzled. "Eric doesn't say it outright, but he does like his money…or I guess it's what his money can buy. He's proud of his businesses. Why would he give that all up? Does he think he's going to…" and Sookie couldn't say it. Her throat closed and she felt a wave of panic.

"There are no plans for Mr. Northman's execution," Mr. Cataliades hastened to assure her. "If there were, people would be talking. It does make sense if the rumor that Mr. Northman has been reinstated to his Maker's keeping is accurate."

Sookie took a deep breath, drawing the pieces together. "So, Eric is now under this Appius' command… Like Pam is under Eric's?"

"Ms Ravenscroft has been freed." When Sookie said nothing, he nodded, adding, "The formal paperwork is being executed and the Queen has confirmed her willingness to offer Pam a place here. Ms. Ravenscroft no longer needs to obey her Maker. She need only respect him."

Sookie snorted. Her head was whirling, "So, I guess Pam will start doing that crazy Robo thing Eric does," and Sookie sat up straight, staring ahead. "My Maker is a great vampire!" she mimicked.

Mr. Cataliades didn't look amused. "That has nothing to do with vampire and everything to do with the methods of Eric's Maker." He leaned back and glanced around, making sure they wouldn't be overheard. "I don't think anyone in this century can understand the brutality that was Eric Northman's age. A woman your age, in his time, would already be a mother many times over. In another few years, your hair would be greying, if disease or childbirth hadn't killed you. Every year was a struggle to find enough food to last through winter, and then, there were your neighbors who might decide to kill you for your stores. And yet, even in that terrible time, there were monsters. Eric Northman's Maker was one of those."

Mr. Cataliades paused and Sookie wondered if he would say more. She was about to prompt him when he leaned forward, "That the Viking survived at all was a miracle. There were times I saw him when he looked little more than an animal. Appius was punishing him for some transgression or another. I suspect Eric's real crime was not being younger and not being broken. Appius Livius Ocella tried every way he could to get Eric to justify Appius ending him, but the Viking was too clever for the Old Roman. Still…" and the attorney fussed with a non-existent speck on his immaculate white shirt, "Eric didn't escape entirely unscathed. I, too, have noticed some of the… Well, we'll call them ticks."

"You're saying he was traumatized?" Sookie whispered.

"Anyone would be," the attorney answered, as though it was of no consequence. "Eric Northman is one of the most charming vampires I've ever met. He has a sense of humor, which is rare among them. He survived, but that doesn't mean he doesn't carry scars."

"And now, he's back with the monster?" and Sookie found it hard to breathe. "How…what can I do?"

"Nothing," the attorney told her.

"That's not acceptable!" and Sookie's chin lifted. "I'm his wife! I can't just sit around here any longer not doing anything! There has to be something! Grandfather… The Queen… Someone has to have a way to get Eric away from that guy!"

"Having the Maker's bond reinstated means the Viking agreed," Mr. Cataliades informed her, "and consent is a strong magic. As long as the Northman consents, he can't walk away from The Roman and now that the bond is reinstated, Northman would only be able to change his mind if The Roman agreed to free him."

"Why would he do that?" Sookie grated. "Why would Eric agree to return to someone like that?"

"Why else?" and the attorney's eyes suddenly reminded her of Grandfather's. "To save you!"

"You do know something!" Sookie accused. "Maybe you don't have… What did you call it, 'direct' knowledge? But you do know something, and I want you to tell it to me!" Sookie could feel magic gathering in her. She felt it in her chest and her hands. She lifted her chin higher and let her Fae face begin to peek out.

"As long as you understand it's mostly rumors," and the attorney held up his hands as if to ward her off.

"Then, let's have it!" Sookie demanded.

"Witches," Mr. Cataliades hissed. "It started with them!"

"Is that why Octavia left?" Sookie asked, and then, "I can't believe it! We were friends!"

"Octavia Fant was threatened," Mr. Cataliades leaned forward, and a small smile formed on his face. "Now, what I'm telling you isn't as a lawyer. This is purely gossip and hearsay. It might not even be true, but I suspect if you confront your Seelie relatives, they will confirm it. Just ask yes/no questions. They won't be able to lie to you." He placed his hand over hers and Sookie felt a slight electric current. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable and some part of her worried about what it meant, but she didn't withdraw, afraid the attorney would stop talking.

"She ran for her life," he nodded. "There was some vampire, a past lover, who passed along a warning through the Queen's Court…"

"Chow," Sookie guessed.

"The witches had her under a death warrant for teaching you magic," and the buzzing in Sookie's hand seemed to increase. Sookie tried to pull away, but he held her tighter, "The rumor is you can kill with a glance."

"Well, that's just crazy!" Sookie exclaimed, and tugged at her hand again. "Let me go!"

"I'm a demon," the attorney told her. He smiled, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth. "By touching you, I can cancel any magic. If you wish me to tell you more, you are going to have to go along with this," and he squeezed her hand for emphasis.

"I can't kill anyone!" Sookie protested.

"I can see you believe that," the demon sniffed. He didn't release her hand, but the buzzing sensation lessened. "Of course, rumors like that were bound to make their way around the Court. Nothing like the Fae for gossip! The Queen called your Grandfather, accusing him of staging a takeover, and Northman was sent to his Maker to guarantee his good behavior."

"So, this really was about me," Sookie sighed, but then she thought. "But, the story isn't true, so now what? I mean, you can't disrupt everything because someone tells a lie!"

"That's true and there is an investigation of sorts underway to determine the truth. Andre has told the Queen that once the story is put to rest, Northman will be returned to finish his stint as the Queen's Sheriff. There is a contract, you see, and vampires are strict about their contracts."

"So, how do we prove it?" Sookie asked.

"Well, that's where things get sticky," and the attorney released her hand. "You see, the Queen has decided she's in no hurry to get Northman back. While she enjoys the money she's making as a partner with the Seelie, this business about having one in her Court bonded to her Sheriff, has become inconvenient."

"What does that mean?" Sookie asked.

"The Queen is not actively investigating. I believe it is her intent to simply wait until you die before she reinstates the Sheriff," and the attorney picked up his napkin, laying it just so beside his utensils.

"What?" and Sookie sat back. "But…that… It's not fair!" Mr. Cataliades helped himself to the bread on the table, watching while Sookie wrestled with what he'd said. Finally, she asked, "What about Grandfather? He's told me he's trying. Is he lying to me?"

"No," and the attorney tucked into a second roll. "As I said, the Seelie are incapable of lying. In fact, Niall has done everything possible to try and resolve this, but he can only push so far. In the end, this is vampire business. The Queen has placed him on formal warning. If he tries to intercede, breaking the laws that govern a Maker and his Child, the vampires will view it as a formal declaration of war…or a feud at best and there will be bloodshed. I've heard Niall has even offered to buy the Viking's freedom, through back channels, of course, but Appius is old. He has more money than he could ever spend, and he hates your Grandfather. I'm sure he suspected Brigant was behind it."

"And if I'd agreed to be turned?" Sookie asked.

"Well, then you would be vampire," Mr. Cataliades confirmed. "You are both pledged and bonded. It would give you standing, but…" and he cocked his head to the side. "There is no formal marriage contract between you. Granted, it's rarely done for non-royalty. I suppose Northman worried it would catch his Maker's attention. Appius hates women! I suspect that's why Northman did this," and Mr. Cataliades tapped the folder again. "He's freed Pam and made certain you both have money. If he hadn't done it, Appius might have ordered him to harm you."

"Eric would never do that!" Sookie protested.

"A Maker's Command is absolute," Mr. Cataliades explained. "He might hate himself every moment, but if Appius ordered him to kill you, he would do it. A Child under a Maker's Command has no choice."

"If Appius doesn't free him, how can Eric ever be himself again?" Sookie asked.

"Through death," the attorney said as though it was the most reasonable thing. "If Eric's Maker ends, the Command ends with him."

"Then, I have to find a way to end Eric's Maker," Sookie said. The words sounded more confident than she felt. ' _Killing? Really?_ ' her inner voice jeered.

"Your Eric wouldn't thank you for it," Mr. Cataliades apologized. He held her hand again, only this time there was no unpleasantness. It was just one friend comforting another. "If you were successful, as a bound Child, he might feel compelled to end you," Mr. Cataliades said sadly.

"But, at least he'd be free," Sookie shrugged. Her head hurt. It was all such a muddle. "At least, I know Grandfather has really been trying," she said aloud, and then it occurred to her that there was no real reason to trust Mr. Cataliades, either.

It took a minute, but Sookie gathered herself, and forced a small smile to form on her lips. If she's had a mirror, she would have seen her lower lip jut forward. "I think I'd prefer to wait for Pam," she said, tapping the folder. "Please arrange a meeting as soon possible. I'd prefer to go through things in person."

Immediately, it was the polite, professional attorney who sat across from her, "An interesting suggestion, Ms. Stackhouse."

"Mrs. Northman," Sookie corrected, her lip jutting further.

"Mrs. Northman, then," Mr. Cataliades bowed, "There are several items that might be worthy of your attention before that, time sensitive matters, offers for properties…" he pressed.

"Then, I guess we should meet sooner as opposed to later," Sookie said, making clear her decision was final.

"I will convey your message," and Mr. Cataliades bowed and began gathering his things. "I will let you know as soon as I have a date from Ms. Ravenscroft. I should know in the next couple of days."

"That would be fine," and Sookie held out her hand, like this was any business deal. ' _Pam will know what to do_ ,' Sookie assured herself, walking back to the B&B. ' _Pam will have a plan_.'

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Eric could feel himself slipping back into old behaviors. It had taken ages to overcome the sense of never quite measuring up. Now, it was back, fed by every word and glance his Maker gave him. What's worse, it slipped through the bond. Appius assured him he was proud of Eric, but the bond didn't lie. ' _If only_ …' was what permeated their interactions, never said but always felt.

The drive out to Appius' dacha took hours. The driver was young and human. He said very little, but his eyes rarely left Eric. It was, in a word, an assessment.

When they arrived, the doors opened and half a dozen young men ran out of the house, laughing and welcoming Appius home. As they walked inside, Eric could see the dacha was filled with handsome young men. They seemed to come and go freely, chattering amongst themselves, openly flirting with his Master. "You're back!" one petite blond gushed, rushing to throw his arms around Appius' neck, kissing and stroking.

"I told you I would be," his Maker purred. Eric's mouth fell open before he remembered himself. He threw his shoulders back, standing taller. "This is my Child, Eric," Appius introduced him.

"Oh." And Eric was judged. It was in the tilt of the head and the angle of the hip. It was the way eyes swept up and then away. It was the small sounds of sympathy, and then, "Well, welcome," said in that half-hearted way.

"Petyr," Appius signaled one of the thin, blond boys, "Show Eric to a suitable room. Perhaps the one with the view of the woods."

"Where are your bags?" the nymph-like youth asked, and when Eric shook his head, Petyr managed to convey his disdain with the flip of his head.

They were all human and they were everywhere. There was some mascara, but mostly clean, lithe bodies in tasteful clothing. "How long have you been here?" Eric asked as he followed his guide through wood-paneled corridors.

"I earned my way…well, almost six months ago, thank goodness!" Petyr grinned, opening a dark wood door that led into a wood-paneled room. The furniture here was heavy and masculine, and Petyr's lip curled as he glanced around. "Yes, I guess it fits," he said, eyeing Eric again, and then he struck a pose. "And how long do you think you'll be staying?"

"That is Appius' decision," Eric answered.

"Well, I guess we'll have to figure out some clothing for you, then," Petyr said before adding, "Not that we'd have anything in the house that would fit you. You are…" and his eyes lifted and then fell, "rather freakishly large."

"I am a full-grown man," Eric growled.

"And isn't that special for you?" Petyr sniffed. "Well, I'll leave you here to settle in. So nice to have your Maker back!" and Petyr was gone, closing the door behind him.

The room was adequate. The bed was large enough to accommodate Eric's height. There was a bathroom through one door and a large closet through another. There were no bars on the window, but Eric could see the metal that would drop, making the room light-tight when dawn approached. There were no books, no television, and Eric had handed his phone to his Maker. He sat on the ottoman at the end of his bed, trying to center himself. This was not what he expected, but since he was certain only Appius could provide the answers, he slipped into downtime. ' _Sookie_ ,' he thought. Her face floating before him, her lips laughing. ' _Lover!_ '

It was near dawn when Appius came to him. He had two young men in tow. "You should feed before you rest," his Maker announced, and then directed the young men forward. Neither looked particularly pleased.

"Do you want us on the bed?" one sighed.

"That won't be necessary," Eric answered. He lifted his eyes to Appius, "As you will, my Maker," and waited.

"There is no need to stand on ceremony," Appius drawled, "and I have no intention of joining. If you want to fuck them, they'll let you. They understand your place with me."

' _Mercy fuck_.' The phrase sprang to Eric's mind. It wasn't that he wanted to fuck these boys, but it was the way it was offered. It stung his pride as it was meant to do.

"I thank you for the offer, but feeding will be enough," Eric answered, before asking, "Should I glamour them?"

"No need," and Appius sat down in the chair, making it clear he would watch.

The boys approached, turning around, tilting their heads and baring their necks. Eric was tempted to bite hard, making them fear him, but he didn't. Eric didn't understand what was happening here, but he knew any show of temper or dominance could trigger Appius, so, instead, he licked to numb the area and carefully bit, taking some from one and then more from the other. He pricked his finger, healing their wounds, conscious of his Maker's unwavering stare.

The boys were watching Appius, too, and when Eric finished, Appius opened his arms, saying, "Well done! You may come here for your kiss." The boys leaped forward, throwing themselves on the old Roman, wiggling in his lap like puppies. "That's enough!" Appius said after a bit, and he slapped one on the buttocks as they ran away.

"They aren't afraid of you," Eric observed.

"Homosexuality is a crime in this country," Appius replied. "I give them safe haven and the opportunity to fully explore their natures. In return, they are most grateful."

"And when they become too old?" Eric asked.

"A ticket to Western Europe and a going away party," Appius shrugged. Eric didn't believe him. He thought it more likely his Maker's toys found a short drive and a shallow grave.

"And what of your darker moments?" Eric asked. It was a risky question, but no one knew as well as Eric of Appius' occasional need for violence.

"There is a wide world open to a man with means," and Appius examined his fingers. "When I need that kind of stimulation, it is better to buy it elsewhere. Besides," and he looked around the room, "one doesn't shit where one eats."

Eric remembered any number of times he and Appius had to flee from their situation, hunted when the body count grew too large. While Eric had seen his Maker over the centuries, he hadn't lived with Appius and it didn't occur to him that some aspects of his Maker's lifestyle might have changed.

"You look surprised," Appius purred, so easily reading Eric's mind. "You didn't think your Maker capable of growth?"

Eric bowed, "I apologize, App…"

"You have lost your right to use my name!" Appius snarled. He stood, his shoulders tight. "You were supposed to succeed! I never should have made children! To this night, I wonder what possessed me to keep you, but until tonight, I told myself you managed to be moderately successful. There have been times you even inspired me to try again, but each time, they failed to come close to your mediocrity and I destroyed them. Only you," and Appius stalked until he was standing behind Eric. "Only you were able to achieve some degree of greatness, and now look at you!" The blow was fast, throwing Eric against the solid, wood bedstead, cracking his skull.

"What were you thinking?" Appius hissed, his dark eyes all Eric could see through his dizziness.

Appius retreated, sitting back in the chair. It took a minute for Eric's head to clear. There was blood on the carpet and Eric knew his Maker had purposely fed him well. He didn't wish Eric to finally die, he wished Eric to suffer. Eric shook his head, shuddered, and then struggled to his knees. He kept his head bowed, although he couldn't resist wiping at the blood that ran into his eyes.

"Well?" Appius said after a bit. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I regret…" Eric started

"Spare me!" Appius interrupted. "I'm not interested in your toadying and groveling, Eric. I made you and I released you. Do you remember why I did?"

"Because you knew I was ready to survive," Eric answered.

"Because I knew you were as good as you were going to get," Appius hissed in return, "and I was sick of dragging your pathetic carcass around with me!"

Eric felt his Maker's words, more hurtful than any physical blow. "The last thing I wanted was to find you returned to me, tail between your legs, and yet, here we are." Eric remained on his knees and the silence ticked between them. Finally, Appius flicked his wrist, "Get up!" he commanded, indicating Eric should take the chair closer to the bed.

When Eric was seated, Appius asked, "Why are you here, Eric? Do you know?"

"I failed to see the danger," Eric sniffed. "I knew there were problems around me…" 

"Problems you created!" Appius scolded. "How many times have I told you to keep to your kind? Would this have happened if you had followed the rules? If you had followed our ways, kept to our codes, would you be here today?"

"No," Eric answered.

"I can't hear you," Appius hissed.

"No!" Eric said more loudly.

"No," Appius echoed. "No, you would still enjoy your reputation. Who knows? Someone of importance may have been willing to offer for you. As it is, you are now damaged goods. Any vampire worth their weight will question bringing you into their kingdom. You have made trouble for Sophie-Ann LeClerq, and now she has a mess to clean up and anyone can see it is your fault."

Appius made a disgusted noise and Eric cringed to hear it. He was a grown man, but this was his Maker, a vampire of fearsome reputation, letting Eric know he failed. "I can fix this," Eric replied. "It is a rumor, a story…"

"Which wouldn't have fooled anyone had you not decided you were smarter than everyone else!" Appius countered. "Stick to your kind! How many times have I told you? How many? But, you don't listen! When you restrict your interactions to vampires, you do well. You were the Spanish Queen's Second. You might have risen with Robert, but it's never enough for you! There are Seelie or…what was that human woman's name? The one you had to steal from your Queen?"

"Suzanne," Eric mumbled.

"A blood bag!" Appius snarled. "A worthless, blood bag, but you had to fight for her. You got the Seelie involved and the whole affair became a clusterfuck…"

"Claude Brigant…" Eric started, wanting to explain, but Appius was having none of it.

"Why do you even know his name?" Eric's Maker howled. "Why? Why is he close enough to you to be interfering with you?" and Appius sat back, drilling Eric with his stare, "Because you invite him in!" he accused. "You open the door, allowing these creatures to come into your life and fuck with you, just as you have now!"

Appius reached into his pocket, pulling out Eric's phone, thumbing up the photo Sookie sent of her bare breasts. "A hybrid? You are pledged to Niall Brigant's hybrid? Could you have found anyone more controversial? You know they fought a war over these creatures! By rights, they should have destroyed her themselves, but what do you do? You bond with her… You take her into your own house!" Appius' eyes flared.

"Sookie…" Eric stammered.

"I don't want to hear her name, Eric!" Appius raged. "I don't want to hear any more of your excuses!"

Appius stood and walked until he stood between Eric's legs. "Look at me!" he demanded, and Eric did. "You are a disappointment to me, Eric. I am beginning to believe that you will never evolve. Do you think that's true?"

"No, Master," Eric whispered.

"No…" and Appius let it float in the air. He stood there for a long minute, allowing Eric to savor his misery. "No, I'm not going to end you," he said at last. "I have promised your Queen you would be able to return, if she chooses to call for you, but in the meantime, I think you need to savor the fruits of your labors."

With a swift kick, Appius snapped Eric's lower leg, and then he waited until he felt the pain blossom in his Child. "You will remain here, in this room, Eric. I will send you enough blood to allow you to heal, slowly. I think the time alone with your thoughts will be well spent. Perhaps it will allow you to find the wisdom to understand why wasting your time with those less worthy than you is a bad idea."

Eric held his silence, refusing to make a sound while Appius drank from him. He held his silence when the door closed and for the full count of ten before he permitted the groan. He ran his hands over his shattered bone, the noises coming from him a shadow of the screaming he felt inside. Fortunately, his Maker had him sit in a chair near the bed before he punished him, so slowly, painfully, Eric Northman managed to stand, then roll, then drag himself on to the mattress, before seeking the oblivion of downtime.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

The healing began almost immediately. Eric knew it was his Maker's purpose in providing fresh blood before the punishment. Appius could calculate, almost to the second, the amount of time broken bones would take to set and so did Eric.

What Eric hadn't counted on was bonding sickness.

Eric rose each evening to a tray of blood bottles beside him. That first night was manageable. He did little more than drink and roll over, cushioning the ache and trying to ignore the itching, but it was hard. There was not one thing in the room to divert him. There was a bookcase, but no books. The window showed little but flat darkness and distant stars. At one point, Eric took the cases from the pillows, thinking to read the tags, only to find they were removed. Instead, he fell into downtime, his mind drifting.

Inevitably, his thoughts turned to Sookie. He imagined her dance-stepping around his pub, balancing her tray full of drinks. He imagined her face when he took her that first time, afraid and yet, so hopeful. He imagined the flush of her face as she came beneath him, her mouth chanting his name, letting him know she was his. "Min hustru," he murmured, "My wife."

Frustrated, Eric growled, forcing the thoughts from his mind. Somewhere, surrounded by his harem, he knew Appius was monitoring him. He needed to hide these memories, tuck them deep where even he couldn't find them. If Appius knew, he would kill her. Eric had no doubt. No one could stand higher in Eric's estimation than Appius. It was a lesson his Maker had taught many times.

And it worked…until it didn't.

By the end of the first week, Eric was spending almost every waking moment in downtime. There was nothing else to do. Appius came to check on him once, taking more blood, keeping the line that exposed Eric's emotions through the bond free and open. His Maker didn't speak. Instead, he checked Eric's leg and left. There had been a moment Eric thought if Appius would re-break it, but he hadn't.

Mid-way through the second week, Eric realized he could no longer hide his need for his mate. It snuck up on him. He would think of her, remembering an event or expression, and then realized his lapse. Hissing, he would tuck it away, but as the nights passed, his ability to repress lessened and then, finally, evaporated altogether. Some part of him knew this was bonding sickness. His desire for his bonded was asserting itself, clamoring for her blood, pining for her presence. For a while he was able to wake, drink the blood left for him, and fight to regain control, but as each night passed, he felt his yearning turn to need, and then, his need to despair.

Eric stopped drifting before nightfall. He stopped rising at the appointed time. Dreams tangled and he felt his mind failing, unable to detect where hallucination ended and reality picked up. He struggled to open his eyes. He sat up, his leg aching, but able to support his weight. He looked around the room, determining what he could use to end himself. ' _If this is how it is_ ,' he thought, ' _let it be by my own hand, and not some sickness that robs me of my mind_.'

The door opened, and he raised his head. His sight was blurry, but she was there. "Sookie!" he gasped.

"I'm here," she said, even though it wasn't her.

"Bring him to the bed," he heard his Maker say. Appius placed his cool hand on Eric's forehead. He kissed him. "Am I forgiven, Master?" Eric asked.

"You will not end yourself," Appius said, and the weight of his command fell on Eric.

"No!" and Eric despaired. He could feel his tears falling past his ears.

"I will help," Sookie, who wasn't Sookie, whispered, and his pants were open, his cock in her warm mouth.

"Open your mouth," Appius was whispering, and Eric did. Drops fell on his tongue, and he felt the power of his Master's blood. "There, there," his Master soothed, "now give yourself over to your body's need," and Eric did.

"Sookie!" he cried out, and then she was gone.

It was better. Eric fell into downtime and she didn't torment him, running before him, her Fae face turned, always just out of reach. Eric found his rest and when it was the appointed time, Eric found himself drifting, rising as he had for over a thousand years, his eyes opening to embrace the night.


	49. Chapter 48 - Chapter Held

**Chapter 48 – Breath Held**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Eric's struggle with bonding sickness intensified. Some nights Eric rose in the way he remembered, but most nights, the slow drifting before awareness was a morass of half-remembered dreams and night terrors. When Eric's eyes opened, he was disoriented and the lack of stimulation in his prison room made it worse.

Occasionally, Eric was given fresh blood, the young men barely hiding their unwillingness, but most nights Eric awoke to bottles of TruBlood left on the table beside him. Even though he sensed his bond to Sookie losing its hold, Eric found it difficult to separate the images his mind projected from the reality of his sterile surroundings. He found himself holding conversations with people who weren't there or reliving sequences from his life, only to blink and have the people and events disappear.

It was near the end of his second month in exile when the crisis occurred. It had been a bad week and Eric felt haunted by the ghosts crowding him, sure he was losing his mind. Appius came and, although he knew all too well his Maker's contempt for weakness, Eric begged Appius to end him. "Please," he pleaded. "Please, don't allow me to unravel. I do now wish to become a further burden to you. I do not wish to continue if I am no longer me."

As Eric could have predicted, Appius reacted badly. He kicked Eric, taunting him, then left without allowing his progeny any of his blood. Eric knew the small infusions Appius gave him were all that was holding him together and the prospect of another night, maybe several nights, slipping further and further into the hell his mind was creating would be unendurable. ' _I am broken_ ,' he cried. ' _There is truly nothing left_.'

Then, he felt her. Somehow, against all odds, despite the barrier his Maker's presence created, Eric felt Sookie. It wasn't a dream. This was altogether different. Eric felt the truth of it through the bond that was killing him. ' _Spring!_ ' he thought, and he breathed her in. Every part of him felt warmed. She was in his mind, telling him he was worthy, loving him with all her soul. ' _I love you_ ,' she called to him, and her hands were on him and he was over her, staring into her eyes as she gave herself to him. ' _Mine!_ ' she claimed.

"Yours," he whispered, and he found the strength he needed. Somewhere, she was waiting for him, whether in this world or the next. She loved him despite everything and Eric thought, ' _It is enough_.' For the first time since he'd boarded the plane to this place, Eric Northman found hope.

The next evening, Eric felt his sentience rushing toward him and he welcomed it. His eyes opened, and he smiled, the expression surprising him. He turned his head to find Appius sitting in the chair next to his bed. "Good evening," his Maker greeted.

"Master," Eric replied, then climbed off the bed and assumed the proper position.

Appius waited for Eric to offer his arm before saying, "I wish there was more I could do to prevent your suffering. Now you know why bonding is something that should never be entered into lightly." He placed his hand on Eric's cheek, indicating Eric should raise his head. Eric expected a slap, but, instead, Appius smiled and ran his thumb along Eric's cheek. "I can tell you are suffering mightily and I believe what you are feeling is beyond what should be expected. Perhaps it is worse because you are bonded to a Seelie." He made a sympathetic sound as he continued to stroke Eric's face. "She is mostly Seelie, isn't she?" he asked.

"She is more Seelie than most hybrids," Eric answered.

Appius didn't press Eric for more. Instead, he fed briefly from him and then waved his hand, indicating that Eric should go to the chair on the other side of the room. "I have decided to call a doctor to look at you," Appius told him. "I have also decided to give you more of my blood until we devise a better method to heal you."

Eric couldn't help it. In spite of everything, Eric found himself saying, "You are a great vampire!"

"It warms me to hear you acknowledge it," Appius replied, almost as though Eric was forgiven again.

On the chair were two books, Marcus Aurelius' **Meditations** , and Sun Tzu's **The Art of War**. "I recall those being favorites of yours," Appius said. Eric knew his Maker could feel his growing happiness through their bond. "Now, come here and feed," Appius directed, "The doctor will examine you tomorrow while you rest and soon we will know what more may be done to restore you."

It was a turning point. The books were joined by more books and then, once Eric started to feel more balanced, he was granted the freedom to walk outside his room. If the doctor came and an examination was conducted, Eric was not told the outcome, though he knew better than to endanger his new privileges by asking.

A new routine was formed. Most evenings, Eric rose, showered, and waited for the knock on his door. Sven, the house butler, would be standing in the hallway accompanied by a young man, different every night so Eric couldn't form too close a relationship. There was no more bottled blood. Eric was given fresh blood and once a week, Appius fed him as well.

In addition to providing blood, the men were also required to service him. At first, Eric resisted the suggestion. It was foolish, but his memories of Sookie crowded him.

Appius noticed. Whether his Maker was told or he simply knew through his monitoring of their bond, Appius confronted Eric, lecturing him about taking responsibility for his own recovery by satisfying the needs of his body. "If you would be more comfortable, I will invite you to join me," he offered. Eric watched Appius spend hours each night indulging his sexual appetites, surrounded by his 'butterflies,' as Eric thought of the young men who lived there. They vied for Appius' attention, competing to be the one Appius chose as his special bedfellow for the evening.

"You are kind," Eric replied, "but I do not wish to distract any more attention than necessary from the serenity of this place."

It was the right answer. Even imprisoned, Eric could see that the world Appius had built there served one Master. Competing with Appius in any way might change its delicate balance, something Eric had no desire to do.

After Eric finished, he would clean up and take a walk with Sven. Sven was Other, like a Shifter, but different. He radiated power and Eric was certain if it came to a fight, Sven could hold his own. It was in the way he measured Eric with his eyes when he thought the vampire wasn't aware. It had taken some time, but now, Sven engaged in conversation. Eric knew Sven spoke Russian and English. He tricked an acknowledgement of German from him and got him to admit to knowing several other languages as well, although Eric hadn't discovered which. Sven didn't say, but Eric was certain the butler used his linguistic capabilities to monitor the men who flitted around them.

"Butterflies," Eric thought again, as he watched three of them glide past clad in swimsuits with bright towels around their shoulders.

The dacha was filled with flocks of them. They fluttered and played in and around the house. They shared stories with each other, giggling and congratulating themselves on their good fortune. They rarely spoke directly to Eric, and the Viking was surprised at how their indifference cut him. 'The Giant,' they called him when he wasn't supposed to be listening.

He knew at least a few of them found him attractive. It was something they couldn't hide once he'd fed from them, but they surrendered any individual opinion they held to the hive thinking of the place.

"He's so huge!" one would snark.

"Like some great beast!" another would agree.

"Have you seen him walk through doors? He has to duck his head!" another giggled.

"Like Gigantor or Godzilla!" and there would be laughter.

Eric was tolerated by the butterflies because his Maker made clear Eric's status as his Child commanded respect, still, it was also clear in a thousand, small ways that those around him found Eric lacking. It was wearing. In every other world he had inhabited, Eric was admired. Women made efforts to gain his attention and men asked his opinion, but, here, in Appius' circle, Eric was mocked. He was the 'almost' success of Appius' grand experiment, a lesson in what might have been.

One night as he wandered the edges of the gardens, Eric overheard one of the butterflies pleading with Appius, "Please, won't you turn me? I would make a wonderful vampire!"

"Haven't you seen Eric?" Appius replied. "That's what can happen. No, I won't try it again. Oh, my Child is presentable enough, but I would rather be free, like you, than tied to another child like him!"

It destroyed any doubt Eric had that Appius had truly forgiven him. As much as it hurt, in a strange way his Maker's sharp words also gave him hope. ' _He doesn't wish the distraction I present_ ,' Eric told himself. ' _He will send me home as soon as Sophie-Ann is satisfied of my innocence_.' He didn't think her name, but, somehow, the smell of Sookie trembled just out of reach.

Yet, word didn't come. Another month passed, and Eric was granted more freedom. He was allowed free reign of the house and could walk the greater grounds, including the woods, with Gregor, the Shifter in charge of security. The butterflies stopped noticing him. Eric felt as if he moved through their world now; a ghost whom aside from being required to feed him was no more noticeable than a sharp breeze.

It gave Eric a new vantage, allowing him to more effortlessly to eavesdrop on conversations. He overhead those who had been there longer tell newcomers about how their hard times were behind them. He could see the effects when the staff took special efforts to cater to each of Appius' toys. The boys would do anything to earn their preferred foods, their delight genuine when a special occasion was arranged. Birthdays were celebrated and holidays involved decorating the whole house and grounds, each small gesture tying them more closely to Appius. ' _We are the chosen_ ,' was the attitude of every young boy, and Eric felt jealous until he reminded himself he was beyond such things. Each of these boys had some story of grinding poverty or persecution, but, here, they were free to express themselves and be rewarded. ' _Until he's done with you_ ,' Eric thought.

Eric wondered if, on some level, these boys knew that, like butterflies, they were doomed. He hadn't been asked to end any of these handsome, glittering creatures yet, but he was sure it was only a matter of time. He could have warned them, but he wasn't sure it was knowledge they would welcome. They were happy there. In the outside world, they were not. ' _Ignorance is bliss_ ,' Eric told himself, and embraced his place, holding himself apart, refusing to engage with the moving feast and by doing so, earned Appius' tolerance.

It was on one of these evenings when Appius chose to share information from the outside world. "Is there a reason your Queen would delay resolving her issues with you?" Appius asked.

"I can't think of any," Eric replied, "Do you wish me to speak directly with her?"

Appius eyes narrowed and Eric felt his Maker's sharp spike of suspicion before he covered it. "No, that won't change your Queen's suspicions. Even my assurances are unlikely to sway her. No, I think what is called for is a gesture. Something to let Sophie-Ann know you are not building personal alliances." Eric waited, almost afraid to hope.

"You have talked about freeing your progeny, Pam. Perhaps doing that and directing her to pledge herself to the Queen would present the right message." Appius was watching Eric through narrowed eyes. Eric knew he hoped this request would disturb him. It would force Eric to take actions he himself had not initiated and Appius knew all too well how the Viking hated being controlled, but, in this case, the Roman was wrong. Eric struggled to appear unhappy. Secretly, he was delighted. He had worried Appius would force him to take actions against Pam, hurting her, or worse.

Appius couldn't know Eric had already transferred all his wealth to Pam. She would be free and wealthy. It was everything he could have hoped for his child. Eric bowed his head, "It shall be as you say, Master," he said carefully.

The severing was painful, but his only regret was not being with Pam to be able to tell her how wonderful she was. He imagined how she looked, and even though he knew Appius could feel it, he sent his pride so that it would be last thing they shared.

"You are better without her," Appius told Eric later.

"She is better on her own," Eric said, meaning something else entirely.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie tucked her phone back in her pocket. ' _I miss you_ ,' she'd texted. ' _The sun shone through clouds today and for a minute, I thought I saw you._ '

As time passed, her messages had become more prosaic. Sometimes she felt as though texting Eric was akin to praying. The message always showed as delivered, but no one responded.

Sookie glanced down the street again, looking for Claudine's car. ' _Patience_ ,' she warned herself.

Life as one of the Seelie was a constant contradiction. Sookie had never been among people who were at once so kind and pleasant and yet, at the same time, so evasive. It had been over two weeks since her meeting with Mr. Cataliades and she felt no closer to a plan. Niall side-stepped her questions and when that became wearing he avoided her altogether, claiming troubles demanding his attention in the North. Dillon remained frosty and Claudine's answer to every question was to press Sookie to start a new venture. That was the purpose of today's outing. They were scheduled to look at another possible site for her B&B.

Only Claude seemed willing to speak in direct ways, but there was something about the advice he gave that just seemed off. He'd even offered to help her track down where Appius might be hiding, but at the last minute, Sookie declined. "Pam's coming. I'll wait until I speak with her. I don't want to screw up anything she has started," Sookie offered as her excuse.

"Don't be surprised when she refuses to help," he'd sneered. "This is a vampire thing. You can't count on them to help you. You'd be better off figuring this out on your own."

She could still hear him chuckling, assuring her that next time his help would cost. For some reason, the dark-haired Fae reminded Sookie of a snake and she tried not to think about it, but as each excuse was given and another distraction found, Sookie found herself wondering if she'd need to ignore her instincts and turn to Claude.

Claudine was driving a new Mercedes today. It was in her signature grey. "You do have style," Sookie complimented her cousin, easing into the leather upholstery.

"Ready?" Claudine asked, and then tutted as Sookie checked her phone again. "You know he's gone. Why are you torturing yourself?"

"Is he?" and Sookie exhaled quickly. "I'll tell you what I know! I know he isn't really gone. He's just not here. Who knows? Maybe he can't answer. Ian says it's likely he doesn't have his phone. He said when the Sheriffs take someone into custody, taking phones is the first thing they do, but just thinking that maybe Eric does…it gives me hope."

"You know what Grandfather told you. If anyone is seeing your messages, it's probably Eric's Maker. Appius is not a good guy, Sookie. He won't be passing anything along." Shaking her head, Claudine grabbed some papers from the backseat and pressed them into Sookie's hands. "I like this place. The previous owners started the work, but they ran into some bad luck."

"Our people have anything to do with that?" Sookie asked, thinking she had enough bad luck of her own.

"Not that I've heard, but you never know!" and Claudine squinted, making a turn onto a half-dirt road that seemed to go on a long way. There were a couple more turns before Claudine slowed, and then rolled to a stop. "You'll see from the deed and survey it's a good-sized plot with some adjoining acreage. The acreage belongs to the house, but it's currently under lease to a farmer who's using it for sheep. The house was expanded and the barn started renovation. They may have been thinking of it as a separate residence. There's a true farmyard with a proper wall around it and the back falls off to the sea."

From where they were parked, they could only see the tops of the roofs. This area had rolling hills, and so they walked in from the road, hiking up the small rise. As soon as they crested the hill, the ocean lay before them, wide and rolling. The beaches stretched off as far as Sookie could see to the right. The small cluster of houses she knew as Glenglas, the nearest town, was visible, and she used it to orient herself to the map in her hand. "Here," she pointed, and allowed herself to look forward and down. Tucked into a roll in the land was a proper Irish house. It had two stories and a long extension Sookie supposed were more rooms. The extension trailed forward and ended short of what was left of the barn. The barn walls were solid and there was a roof, but the windows were boarded and the area around the building was littered with trash.

"See the flowers?" Claudine asked, directing Sookie to look left. The hills were dotted with blues, reds, and pinks, waving in the breeze. "See how the hill protects that area? You'd have shelter for roses if you wished or a proper vegetable garden."

"I could use my own produce for breakfast," Sookie nodded. She bit her lip. This place was the fifth she'd seen with Claudine.

Her cousin teased her that it was time for Sookie to put down roots. "You hate being a burden and anyone can see you're chafing at living in a single room. You need your own nest to feather and you have the means to buy it." Claudine was right, but the idea of putting down roots that didn't include a light-tight chamber and a man who fought with her just so he could make up wasn't appealing.

So far, Sookie had managed to find something about each one she didn't like. The first place was all alone on a hill. "I'd be blown to bits," she'd declared. The next house was too far from the sea. "I'm on an island. Surely there's some way I could see the water!" she'd exclaimed.

Now, seeing this place, Sookie suspected she'd be hard-pressed to find anything wrong. As if sensing it, Claudine said, "I think we should go take a closer look at this one!"

"You don't think it's too far from the walking trails?" Sookie asked.

Claudine nudged, pointing to the trail marker not twenty feet away, its bright yellow hiking man glowing against a brown background. "Those walkers would have to be blind to miss you!" she joked.

The driveway down to the house was longer than it looked and Sookie noticed the way the wind seemed to stop the minute they walked down into the dip in the land. "It's peaceful here," she said aloud.

"Like it was waiting for you," Claudine added.

"Pushing, pushing…" Sookie cautioned, but she found her lips creeping up in a smile. It really did seem as though the property was welcoming her and, as if to confirm it, a bright stream of sunlight lit up the barnyard as they walked through the gate.

"See how the flowers grow all the way over the door?" Claudine pointed out.

"Plenty of room here for a few cars," Sookie noted.

"Although a proper truck would be a tight fit," Claudine added, before producing a key and after some jiggling and shoving, the front door opened. Sookie was no longer surprised to find these places furnished. It wasn't ever enough furniture, but whatever was here was understood to go with the sale. After giving the front rooms a brief once-over, Claudine said, "Let's see what's in the kitchen." It was the kitchens in these places that always presented the greatest challenge. Most were shells, the appliances removed, but others were appalling firetraps with inadequate counterspace.

"Wow!" It was all Sookie could say as they walked through to the back of the house. The space for the refrigerator was bare, but there was an industrial-sized eight burner gas stove commanding one long wall. The room itself was large, lined with adequate cupboards and at one end, there was an island. It was totally unexpected and Sookie's mouth fell open.

"Better watch that Maryann doesn't demand that range as a finder's fee!" Claudine teased. It was true. The stove was the stuff of a B&B owner's dreams.

"I can't believe they left all this behind," Sookie gasped.

"Estate sale," Claudine told her. "One or the other of them died. It's why the place sat so long. There's some that think it's haunted."

"Is it?" Sookie glanced around. With the things she'd seen, it wouldn't have surprised her to see ghostly caretakers hovering about.

"Why are you asking me?" Claudine laughed, "I'm not the one who sees banshees!"

"Fair enough," and Sookie found herself grinning. In truth, Sookie hadn't seen the Leann Sidhe since that one time in Killary.

Niall had talked about her resuming magic lessons, but after their last testy conversation, he stopped. It had been like the talk she'd had with Mr. Cataliades. She was pressing Niall, asking for anything he knew about Appius' location. "I'm not asking you to go," she'd stammered. "The vampire Queen doesn't have any alliances with me, I mean, she barely acknowledges I exist! No one is going to be angry if I go find them!"

"You are pledged to one of her vassals," Niall reminded Sookie. "For as long as that is true, you owe Sophie-Ann your fealty in place of the Northman."

"I can't stand it!" Sookie shouted, her frustration getting the better of her, her hands fisted and shaking. She could feel her magic gathering within her, growing with her temper. "He is mine and no one is willing to help me find him!"

"Sookie!" Niall's eyes had flashed, and Sookie had felt a sudden cold grip her and then rush through her. She wasn't sure what happened, but she found herself rooted to the spot and Niall unveiled, almost incandescent as he held her in thrall. "Stop!" he ordered, and she felt her fight drain away.

"I'm sorry!" she stammered. "I don't know what came over me," but somewhere she knew she was lying. She was changing, and her temper sparked something that coiled and seethed, waiting its chance to fly free.

"You have become something more," Niall told her. "It is a dangerous time and your unhealthy obsession is making you unstable. It would be best if you practiced those skills you know. Focus on them. Discipline yourself to work within their rules." Niall left shortly afterward, but Dillon began to take her to hillsides with breathtaking views or glades in remote places. Together, they'd conjure or try to trick each other. Dillon's magic always seemed teasing and tripping, but Sookie wasn't fooled. She could sense something stronger and wilder laying just below the surface of what he showed her. For her part, Sookie had to work hard to keep up. She ran through skills, Dillon pressing her to transition quickly from one illusion to another. It was as if she were dancing to some unheard song, the steps ever more complex and sometimes she would lose herself, only to collapse when Dillon let up, finding she was soaked with sweat, but not remembering how she got that way.

There was only one skill that was forbidden. "You are never to use that," Dillon told her. "Not even when you think you're alone."

"I don't understand," Sookie had protested. "It's…it's just something beautiful my Father showed me…"

"It's more and you know it!" Dillon sneered, and Sookie knew he was right. She didn't know how she knew, but she believed. Sookie knew in her heart if the column of white light touched any living thing it would kill them, burning them out in its brilliance.

Sookie checked her phone again. Pam Ravenscroft was back. Pam had texted Sookie last night, telling her she would come to Carriegh to meet with her and Maryann hadn't called this morning. It had become a ritual between she and Maryann since Pam's leaving. They spent nine o'clock together on the phone, drinking tea and talking. Sookie wanted to be happy for her friend, but, somehow, her heart twisted just a little bit, jealous her friend regained her joy. When she saw Claudine staring, she turned the phone a little. "Pam," she shrugged.

"Did she text?" Claudine asked.

"Daytime!" Sookie shrugged. "She will after sundown. She promised she'll see me tonight," Sookie answered.

"It won't change anything," Claudine insisted, but after Sookie said nothing, she shrugged, "Then, we'd better get moving so you won't be late." Together, they walked back through the front rooms. There was a smaller sitting parlor, but it had a lovely fireplace. The larger side was dominated by a farm table and sideboard. There were only a couple odd chairs, but Sookie found herself silently counting, finding space at the table for ten. Upstairs, there were three rooms, each with its own closet of a bathroom. Even though they were small, the bathrooms each hosted a shower in addition to a toilet and sink. The extension ran out from the front parlor, with two more bedrooms and a shared bath. "I suppose I could squeeze another bath here," Sookie said. "That way each room could be an ensuite. People like that."

"Rich, spoiled people," Claudine laughed.

"Rich, spoiled hiking services who direct their clients to the places that get the best reviews," Sookie corrected her. "There's something to be said for a soft bed and a private shower after a long day of trudging up and down the hills around here."

"I suppose," Claudine conceded. Together, they walked around the rooms again, checking for electrical outlets and deciding if there was enough room for televisions or other amenities.

"You suppose there's Internet out this far?" Sookie asked.

"Satellite," Claudine shrugged, "Or you pay to have a cable run in with the electric. With the wind off the water, it might be worth the investment, if only for your own sanity."

"I don't know," and Sookie shrugged looking around. "Maybe this place isn't quite right. It seems kind of far…"

"From town? Wasn't that the problem with the last place? You didn't like it because it was too close to town. Next, you'll be telling me having the easement for the trail makes it too close to your customers. Really, Sookie! You are just making excuses!" and Claudine crossed her arms.

"I don't know if I'm ready," Sookie side-stepped, trying to stop the argument before it started. "It all seems…"

"He's not coming back," Claudine just said it. It wasn't the first time. "Eric's path lies elsewhere. He's vampire. You're not. You can ask Pam tonight. If he should return, it won't be for a long time…maybe never." Sookie shrugged, but she couldn't stop the quick spill of tears. Angry, she wiped them away, retreating outside and walking toward the barn.

"Be happy for the time you had together," Claudine persisted. "Love among our kind is fleeting for those like you. Even when we try to remain together, it never ends well. You know the stories better than I do. Wasting away, hoping for something that can never be is not the answer. You must move forward for the sake of all those here who love you."

It was impossible to miss the way Claudine separated Sookie from the Seelie. Niall might try, but deep down, Sookie knew her place could never be among them. Looking around, she thought, ' _Still, for one moment, I thought my forever might be with a vampire_.' "How can I make a home here without him?" Sookie asked aloud, the words sticking in her throat.

"How could you make a home here without your Mother?" Claudine challenged her right back. "How could you continue without your Father? Your lives are a series of losses. It is both your talent and your strength, that ability to move forward, finding hope in what lies beyond. It is that trait we find most admirable."

"But Eric isn't dead," Sookie replied.

"Of course, he is!" Claudine laughed, then, wiping her cousin's tears away, said, "but not finally dead, I know." Pulling Sookie to her, Claudine told her cousin the truth she believed, "But, he is dead to you, Sookie. You must accept that. You must move on."

"I'm not sure how," Sookie sighed.

"You do it by taking one step at a time," Claudine told her. She handed Sookie the key. "You start here and you work. Each day takes you a little closer to having this place up and running, and then getting customers, and then greeting your guests. Before you know it, you've lived a good life…"

"A life alone," Sookie added.

"Only if you choose," Claudine scolded. Turning her cousin back toward the house, she said, "You know this place is perfect. Should I tell the agent?"

The sun was still high in the sky, playing hide and seek with the passing clouds. The shadows fell across the land, reminding Sookie of dancing figures. "Yes," she heard herself saying. "Yes, this is it."

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Thanks for meeting me," Sookie said. She and Pam were sitting in the pub down the street from the B&B where Sookie was still living. ' _This place has become my office_ ,' Sookie thought wryly, looking around.

Pam looked the same, which shouldn't have been a surprise, but was. Her white-blond hair lay long and straight over her pink sweater. She was wearing lovely pumps dyed to match. They weren't the killer stiletto heels Claudine preferred, but still higher than anything Sookie was comfortable wearing. "Mr. Cataliades tells me you stalled signing off on anything until we did." Pam's tone matched her face, both being annoyed.

It was awkward. There were things that clearly needed to be said, but there were people sitting at the next table, too close for Sookie to be able to say the things she wished. "Look, I'm going to do something to make it possible for us to talk privately," Sookie told Pam. "Hold your breath. I don't think it will leave a trace, but if it does, we can leave."

"This is a business meeting, Sookie," Pam shrugged, "Nothing more." When Sookie's mouth opened, Pam added, "There really is nothing more I wish to discuss."

"But, Mr. Cataliades said you were free…" Sookie stammered.

"Fine!" Pam hissed. "If you aren't going to be polite about this, then do your thing!"

Sookie could feel her lip trembling, but she raised her chin, took a breath, and pulled the scrim around them. Their fellow customers would have a memory of people at their table, but no clear idea as to whom they were. Even those who now knew Sookie well, the bartender and the waitress, would find their memory of her tonight to be foggy. "Do you notice it?" she asked Pam.

"It isn't a problem," Pam confirmed. "You can't just blurt things out like that. Our ability to live among these people works because we keep it simple and we watch our words."

"Then don't try to dodge things!" Sookie snapped. "I'm in hell! You have to know that. I reach for him every night. I text. No one will tell me anything, except that I need to forget him. How can I do that?" Sookie swiped at the tears that spilled over, grabbing her napkin and glancing around, even though she knew no one would notice. "I love him!"

"But not enough," Pam snapped in return.

"What does that mean?" Sookie demanded.

Pam sat back, her face stony. For the first time, Sookie could see her friend was angry. "He wanted you to join him, really join him, but you kept finding excuses. You could be vampire right now and it would just be a matter of waiting, but that wasn't good enough for you. No, you had to hold onto your oh, so precious humanity. Well, you got your way. You're dancing with the Seelie and staying human. You made your choice."

"You can't mean that," Sookie huffed. "Eric is still in this world. I'm going to find him!"

"And give him the final gift of watching you die?" and Pam sat back. "How selfish can you be? I felt him just before he left. He was heartbroken. He gave up everything, all his money, all his toys, just so you could be comfortable. And me. He took care of me, too."

"Mr. Cataliades told me he freed you," Sookie whispered.

"Later," Pam nodded. "His Maker hated that Eric's child was female. I'm sure that old shit thought he was hurting Eric by stripping me from him, but we were ready." Pam glanced around, "I suppose in a backhanded way I owe you one."

"What do you mean?" Sookie asked.

"Before he left, I asked Eric for permission to pledge to Maryann…"

"That's great!" Sookie exclaimed.

"He refused," Pam finished.

It didn't make sense. "I don't understand," Sookie stammered.

"He refused because he didn't want me to face the same fate you forced on him. He told me until Maryann was turned he wouldn't agree, and because I was bound to him, I had to bow to his decision. Now, he's freed me. I can make up my own mind about this." Pam reached down beside her, bringing up the folder of papers Sookie recognized. "So, if there's nothing else, I'd like to get through these so I can go home to my fiancée."

"You're not going to help me," Sookie whispered.

"Help you live the rest of your life comfortably? Yes, you're going to be a wealthy woman with choices. Help you create more problems in my Maker's life? No, Sookie. Even if I wanted, my hands are tied. I've pledged fealty to the Queen for my place here. Sophie-Ann is perfectly content waiting things out. Your Grandfather wants you here. We're immortal. Do the math!" Pam pulled out two sheets. "This is the deed for the house in Slievemore and another further north. I have no interest in maintaining either. Sign here," and she pointed to a line. "I have buyers lined up, but I need your signature."

"The Goat House..." Sookie stammered. "But, our things…"

"I've put Eric's belongings in storage. Your things are packed. Just let me know where you'd like them sent," and Pam stared until Sookie signed. Sookie felt as though the air had been knocked out of her, but before she could recover, Pam was presenting her with more papers. "Of course, you're still partner in the pubs. I've canceled the plans for the fourth one. I just don't think I can handle one more until I get someone else trained to back me up. I know, we started the work, but we have plenty of money, we can afford the loss."

"Maybe I…" Sookie started.

"You can't set foot in any of them," Pam reminded Sookie. "Look, I know this is hard. I don't expect you to be active in the management, but I would like you to continue handling the accounting. It's a good excuse to keep you on the payroll, better for taxes. Oh, but there is a partnership change I would like to make."

"What is it?" Sookie asked. She was feeling more and more adrift. She had thought talking with Pam would make her feel closer to Eric, but, with each word, she was feeling as if a door was shutting.

"Chow," and Pam set another paper in front of Sookie. "I want him out as partner."

"Why?" Sookie knew Eric relied on the vampire in Carrack. Pam had often said complimentary things about him.

"He's the reason Eric's gone," Pam huffed. "Surely you knew that!"

"I heard some story," Sookie stammered. "Something about Octavia."

"He should have called us with his problem. He didn't. He called some friend at the Palace and now we're here." Pam handed the pen to Sookie. "I want him out," and she pointed at a line on the paper.

Sookie wanted to read what was written. She could see a figure that involved a lot of Euro, but the hard look in Pam's eyes had her signing. "I trust your judgment on this," she told the vampire. "But running everything on your own is a lot. You are thinking about taking on another partner?"

"Eventually," Pam shrugged. "I'll talk with you before I do. In the meantime, we have to focus on getting the pubs running well. Now that Eric isn't Sheriff anymore, we owe the Queen full tithes, so you'll need to be adding that line item to the ledger."

"I'm sorry," Sookie stammered. It didn't change anything, but she felt the need to say it.

Pam looked away and when she looked back, she didn't seem as angry. "Maryann told me what you did while I was away. You were a good friend to her…to me. I know this isn't your fault, not really, but I'm not going to be part of you hurting him anymore."

"You could turn me!" It slipped out before Sookie even knew what she was saying.

"But I won't," Pam told her. "And neither should anyone else. Do you have any idea what you'd be getting yourself into? You'd be some vampire's child, theirs to command. What? You think that would get you any closer to Eric? I can't think of anything you could do that would separate you further!" Pam shrugged, "You need to move on, Sookie. You are part of our world now, but that doesn't make you one of us. Learn the rules and respect our ways and you'll be happy."

Pam leaned over, setting her hands on Sookie's, "In the end, that's what he wanted for you. Maybe you should try to do that. For him."

"Will I see you again?" Sookie asked.

"Maryann says you're going to be our Maid of Honor," Pam sighed, "so, I guess the answer is yes."

"I am happy for you," Sookie smiled.

"In time, it won't be so hard," Pam assured her. "Maybe you should get that B&B. Maryann can't wait to have you as a full member of their Association and frankly, with the money we owe the Queen, we need all the income we can get."

"I think I found it," Sookie replied. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself enough to put her own troubles behind her and together, she and Pam spent the next hours rebuilding the bridges of their friendship.


	50. Chapter 49 - Clear View

**Chapter 49 – Clear View**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Ian brought the papers for the sale with him. Sookie had worked out an arrangement with Joyce to use her breakfast room at ten each morning to meet with the Dayman. It wasn't the most ideal situation and Sookie was all too aware of the inconvenience it presented the family. She tried to make up for it by loaning Joyce and her husband the use of her car, or running errands, but the old Ben Franklin saying about family and fish smelling after they'd stayed too long came readily to mind.

Ian laughed out loud watching how quickly Sookie signed the papers. "That bad, then?"

"Not really," and Sookie bit her lip. "It's just I'm ready to have my own place again." She brushed her hand over the table, "My own table for business. The ability to offer you a decent cup of tea." She glanced toward the closed kitchen door. "It's odd. I miss cooking…baking…making things."

"I miss it, too," Ian told her, then patting his stomach, added, "but my pants don't! When you're cooking, I'm fair bursting. Since you've left Slievemore, I've saved money letting my gym membership drop. No need."

"How is everyone?" Sookie asked.

"Asking about you," Ian assured her. He glanced again at the deed, "Happy for you, of course."

"Business as usual, though?" Sookie pressed.

Ian chuckled, "Life in Slievemore during tourist season never changes. Plenty of walkers. Brian's place had a bit of a dust-up last week. Mick's doing well at the Kiss. Some new talent. There's a fiddler that came down from Dublin who's a wizard, I swear!"

"I do miss the music," Sookie sighed. "There's a couple folks here who play, but this is more a by-way along the trail, not a major town."

"Well, your new place will change that!" Ian told her. He winked, leaning in as he added, "Those walkers will take one taste of that bacon jam you make, they'll put down tent stakes and never leave."

"That stuff is a heart attack in a jar!" Sookie laughed.

"And it's a regular temptress who came up with it!" and Ian winked again. Just seeing the ingredients, you knew it had to be bad, but everyone who tasted Sookie's concoction wanted more.

Sookie grinned until she caught Ian looking at her wedding band again. She was pretty sure he was interested in her in more than a friendly way. It wasn't anything overt, but he'd started making a habit of bringing her small gifts, pastries he knew she liked that were only make in Slievemore, or new trinkets sold in the tourist shops along the harbor. He covered it with a story, but Sookie had the impression the day she took off Eric's ring, Ian would say something.

' _Time to nip this in the bud_ ,' Sookie thought. "Ian, I was wondering." It was all she needed to say and her suspicions were confirmed. His eyes widened and he leaned forward a little. ' _Sorry_ ,' she mentally apologized, before launching into what she wanted to ask. "Daymen… I've always wondered. Do you know each other? I mean, is there some network or… You know, informal support group for you?"

Almost unconsciously, he settled back, "Yeah, sure… I guess so. We meet each other around, see each other at business things, social events, like that. Sometimes, we help each other out. The requests we get can be odd, but when you talk with other folks who do my line of work, you find out you're all searching out the same odd, if you know what I mean."

"I can guess," Sookie grinned. "So…" and she glanced at the closed kitchen door again. "If you don't mind, could we head outside?" If it had been anyone else, Sookie would have invited them upstairs, but, under the circumstances, inviting Ian to her bedroom seemed a foolish idea. The weather wasn't great, but there was an overhang and a bench. "I'll just run these upstairs," she said, waving the papers. "Won't take a minute. I'll just grab a sweater."

Sookie took the satchel and spent a few minutes sorting the envelopes and folders from her customers. There was another envelope marked, 'Pam.' The papers inside looked more like things that needed her signature, so she put them back in the satchel, grabbed her cardigan, and slipped back downstairs.

Ian was already outside, leaning on the bench, his hands stuffed in his trouser pockets. It was nippy and damp, but that was Ireland. "Thanks," and Sookie sat down, placing the satchel between them.

"So," and Ian's lip curled as he looked at the satchel, "What is it you wanted to ask?"

"I think you know," Sookie stumbled. "Eric. Do…the day people you see… Do they ever gossip about Eric? You know, things they might have heard?"

"Nothing new," Ian told her. He shook his head a little and stared into the yard. "I know it's hard for you to hear this, but no one thinks he's coming back, at least, not anytime in this century." He glanced at her quickly, then looked away again. "You know how they are…or if you don't, you should. They don't live like us. They don't see time the way we do. Their 'soon' is our next generation. They are like the rocks, forever, and we're just drops of water that roll over them, here for a moment and then lost in the ground never to be seen again."

"Do they say where they think he is?" Sookie persisted.

"With his Maker," Ian answered, and then turned to look at Sookie more fully. "Now, him, Appius Ocella, or whatever he's called...him, they talk about. Sookie, the stories they tell are the stuff of nightmares. I think he scares even them. No one wants him here. It's like the old story, Bloody Mary, where they say his name in whispers so they don't accidentally summon him to haunt them. If your Eric's with that vampire, there isn't anyone who's going to find him or be willing to try."

"I miss him," Sookie whispered. Ian reached over and, for a minute, Sookie thought he meant to take her hand. Sookie almost wondered if she'd let him, but he thought the better of it and patted her hand instead.

"They are good for making money," Ian told her. "Charming and they lead interesting lives, but, in the end, they aren't really for the likes of us. At some point, we all have to put away our starry eyes and come to Earth if we're going to live our own lives in our own way." Ian stretched back again, "It's something I have learned, being so close to them. Each moment counts and when your life is so short, it would be a crime to waste even a second."

Nodding, he leaned over and nudged her. "Take that place you just bought. Now, there's an adventure. I took the liberty of looking up the listing. It's got good bones to it. It will take some doing. Have you started lining up the workers you'll need?"

"No," Sookie answered. "No, not yet. I don't know why. I think I was waiting to sign the papers." She bit her lip, "Somehow it still doesn't seem quite real."

"Well, it will seem real enough when the bills start rolling in and the place isn't near ready for guests," Ian said quite practically. "When you started the remodel on Goat House…" and then he trailed off. He glanced at her, "Well, I imagine some of the same men are available. You liked their work and they were reasonable." He shrugged, "Of course, it might do you good to get a recommendation or two from your landlady. Taking care of local folks is never a bad step if you're planning to live here."

"Can you help me with that?" Sookie asked.

"Aye," Ian smiled warmly, but then, instead of leaning toward her, he stood. "After all, it's what you pay me to do!"

"Yes, I do," Sookie answered, but she realized with a start that some small part of her was disappointed Ian brought up the money part.

Shaking the mist from his jacket, Ian picked up the satchel, "Well, what say we pop down to the pub and finish signing this lot? You have that chat with your landlady and you can text me what tradespeople you'll need. I think you have a good inspection report. That shamble of a barn may just be waiting the wrecker's ball, but it will be up to your pocketbook."

Joyce's husband was at the pub and he happily gave Ian a couple names of a mason and a plumber who lived near town. The dayman made no more moves toward her, but, as he drove away, Sookie felt her loneliness press down on her.

That night, Sookie reached out for Eric as she did each night, but this time, she dug deeper than she had before. She found her temper and she stoked the fire she felt at the injustice of being separated until she felt the cold coil of magic forming within her. Instead of recoiling as she had before, Sookie stoked her anger, slight by slight, remembering each denial, each refusal, and then when she felt her magic wrapping around her, reaching through her, so she hurtled through the bond again, demanding it find Eric.

What she found was not Eric. It was something that stopped her like a wall. She felt bruised against it, and then, incredibly cold. There was loathing and spite and Sookie felt as though her fingers had been burned. When she came to herself, she was shivering in her bed even its warmth and she knew without doubt she'd found what held her husband.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Niall hadn't planned on being gone so long, but his visit to see his brother held him. He had thought to visit the North, checking on assets, but Rogan's state alarmed him. His younger brother, once blessed with beauty and vigor, was a shadow of himself. He lived in the fort nearest to where his wife had died, hunched and failing. It was rarely seen among the Seelie, this total loss of hope. It was as though Rogan's body was literally shrinking in upon itself, spine curved, fingers gnarled. His skin looked weathered, stretched across his bones.

For all Niall's talking, Rogan barely registered his presence. When Niall ordered a fiddler to play songs from their youth, the King thought he saw his brother's eyes spark, but all too soon, even that sign was gone.

"He has willed it," one of Rogan's courtiers informed the King. The life of a Fae was long, but it was known if he, or she, lost the will to continue, this was the result. They withered and eventually became inert until they were so much a part of the rock and earth around them it was impossible to tell where the Fae ended, and the earth began.

Niall cried tears, the water revealing the great age he carried. Everywhere the tracks ran, his skin wrinkled. His hair sprang grey around his head as he held Rogan's limp hand. Finally, there was nothing to do but accept his brother's decision. Kissing Rogan's head, Niall whispered, "There will never be another like you. Please, reconsider. Do not let this world see your end."

As he returned to the world above, Niall cursed Breandan and any pride that condemned one of their race. As his car drove back South, he worked the phone, calling in favors. He reached out to both Selkies and Merrows, begging them to persuade Breandan to visit Rogan before it was too late. The sun shone between the rainclouds, bathing far hills with quick beams. Niall watched the interplay of light and shadow, "So like the passing of our kind," he thought morosely.

The road back to Carreigh was long and they hit traffic several times. Finally, the car pulled in front of the B&B where Sookie was staying. Niall rested while his driver went inside to collect his Granddaughter, but he returned a short while later. "She is not here," he informed the King.

The driver had directions. It seemed Sookie had purchased a house on the ocean. ' _She is moving ahead_ ,' Niall nodded. It was a relief. Niall liked Eric Northman. He'd done his best to fix the situation, offering a King's ransom for the vampire, but Appius refused. While there was something unnatural about the idea of the vampire and his Granddaughter, seeing them together made the difficulties seem possible. ' _And now, not to be_ ,' Niall sighed.

Initially, he worried for her. Humans rarely survived these types of separations intact, but Sookie surprised him. She had bonding sickness, he could feel it, but her symptoms were muted. She did better being in contact with their kind, but it was clear she was capable of maintaining her equilibrium regardless. It was as though her body was healing itself.

For a while, Niall thought to tempt a Seelie into seducing her. Sookie was attractive. She had ensorcelled Breandan, and then the Viking. There were Seelie without mates, but no amount of hinting or inducement could sway his subjects. At first, it was because Sookie was too hybrid, but as her harsh lines and crude manner softened, the problem became something else.

Sookie was different. She had magic, but it wasn't the magic of the Seelie. Instead, it was a wild, flowing thing from some place that made those around her uncomfortable. Dillon reported his work with her had revealed an alarming lack of boundaries. Everything he threw at her, she absorbed and mirrored. There seemed no limit to her capabilities and, for the sake of caution, he stopped working with her. "She is like a door that opens," he told his Father. "Everything she learns becomes a road to another door. I don't dare show her anymore lest her powers overcome me." He told Niall he was now convinced Sookie would become a danger to herself and all of those around her. "She has no sense of what she is or the power she commands. Her temper is becoming less balanced. In her ignorance, she will cause a calamity."

Dillon had paused before telling Niall the thing he most feared, "I think if would be for the best if you ended her. She is a kind soul, but the damage she can unleash would haunt her." When Niall scoffed, telling Dillon he was overreacting, his son said, "I know you don't wish to hear it, Father, but she is no longer what she was. She is grown too different, even for us. She can never be one of the Trooping Fae. She is unique and the marks she carries will condemn her to live alone."

The car turned into a driveway and Niall noted the rolling hills. The sun was just setting over the western ocean, turning the waving grasses gold. The ocean waves sparkled and birds wheeled in the sky above.

He found himself stepping out into a white stone parking area surrounded by a house, a barn, and a stone wall. The far end was open and through the gap in the buildings, the Fae saw Sookie. She was sitting on the edge of the hill that led to the beach, her golden head resting on her knees. For a minute, Niall remembered another time. He was riding his horse over the hills near Carreigh, watching a golden-haired girl, her head crowned in daisies, resting her chin on her knees as her sheep gamboled about her.

"Grandfather?" Sookie cried, and the vision was gone. She slipped her human face, and Niall saw that Dillon hadn't been wrong. The features were even more pronounced. Her eyes slanted and they flashed like storms at sea. Still, her lips were soft as they kissed his cheek, "I wasn't expecting you," she greeted him.

"I came directly here," he told her. "I'm sorry I've been gone so long, but it looks as though you've been well employed."

"Claudine helped me find this place," Sookie acknowledged, and taking the King's arm, she pulled him back toward the house. "Come on. Let me make you some tea and you can tell me about your trip in the North."

The house was cluttered. Sookie had moved into a set of bedrooms located off the main house, keeping out of the way while workmen crawled through the wiring, upgrading some and installing more. "I'm having fiber optics installed," Sookie told her Grandfather. "More stable." She walked through the kitchen and put the kettle on. There was a working table and chairs now, and Sookie laid out the tea things. As Niall sat, Sookie found several biscuits and placed them on a plate, setting them down alongside the honey pot and some of her bacon jam.

"You seem to have made a great deal of progress," her Grandfather praised.

"Not really," Sookie shrugged. "It was in really good shape to begin with. I added a couple pieces of furniture, but I'm waiting to see what comes here from Slievemore."

Niall leaned forward, catching Sookie's hands, "I am sorry about that. I know how much that house meant to you. You transformed it."

"I'll transform this one," Sookie replied. "Not everyone's on board yet, but the architect will be back with designs for the barn tomorrow."

"Oh?" and Niall sipped the tea. "What are you planning to do with the barn? Have you decided to keep animals?"

"Chickens," Sookie nodded, "but not in the barn. I'm having the barn renovated into my living space. That way I'll have plenty of rooms to let. I like the idea of being around, but not too close." Sookie gestured toward the window, "We're far enough out here to be a problem in terms of taking guests into town for dinner every night. It's a good twenty minutes down the road. I figure I can hire someone to help and we can offer both dinner and breakfast a couple times a week. Should save on the wear and tear and having to go out in bad weather."

"You think you'll be that busy?" Niall chuckled.

"I don't think I've been here one day there haven't been walkers going by," Sookie informed him. "The trail on this end of the island is popular and from what I've heard from the services I've contacted, they've been hoping there would be another place open on this stretch. I think I'll do okay."

Niall finished his cup of tea and encouraged Sookie to give him the tour. He complimented the size of the rooms and agreed with her plans to give every bedroom its own bathroom. "I can tell you from my experience in the hotel business, guests like their privacy. It you were able to install a bathtub in one or two of these rooms, you will be rewarded. Dusty travelers enjoy a good soak. Add a handmade soap and a cleverly folded washcloth and they consider you a luxury establishment!"

Sookie laughed at the idea of her courtly Grandfather twisting towels. Taking his hand, she pulled him toward the door. "Come on! I want to show you what I have in mind for the barn."

Together, they stood in the courtyard, and Sookie sketched out how she saw the front of the barn opening, and walking him around to the back, showed him where the large, private deck would stretch out over the hill, giving her an unobstructed view of the ocean. "I know it will be chilly in winter, but I'm going to put in a couple café doors," she told him. Walking into the cool interior, Sookie sketched out where she saw the kitchen and dining room. "The living room and fireplace will go here," she told Niall, "and over there, where the ladder went down to the cow basement, I'll have stairs. There's room for a guest bedroom on this floor if I want one, and then, the master will be downstairs."

"Why would you do that?" Niall asked. "Don't you want windows in your bedroom?"

"Of course not," Sookie laughed, "It wouldn't be light-tight, then." Sookie kept walking, describing how the bookcases would be installed and her decision to expose the original stone walls inside.

Niall watched her, his heart hurting. "You may find it difficult to sleep underground after a while," he ventured.

"It will be okay," she replied, and he saw her chin lift. "I know what you're going to say, and I know I can't expect anything right away, but I intend to wait."

"Sookie," and Niall took his Granddaughter's hand. "You are worrying me. I am happy to see you moving on with your life and that is what you need to do, but you must move on in every regard." Niall couldn't help it, he cupped her face. She looked so brave, so determined. "I do not say this to hurt you, my Dear, but you must not plan a life that includes Northman. If he returns…well, it is likely this barn and everything here will be dust. Do you understand?"

"Well," Sookie said, squaring her shoulders, "I know you're wrong because I'll be here to maintain it, however long it takes, and you're going to help me."

Niall pulled back, "What are you talking about?"

"The Seelie can gift a human with long life," Sookie declared, "and I will do anything you wish in return for that favor."

"Oh, Sookie!" Niall sighed, "I can't do that. Not for you, not for anyone! It is something that is not done, not anymore!" Her chin lifted higher and Niall found himself becoming angry. "To even suggest it is rude. If I were someone else, another Seelie, I would report you." Niall turned away, unable to look at her. "Hasn't Claudine explained how her sister died? My people fought, brother killing brother, because there was a hint I might have violated our law and given your Grandmother long life. Granddaughter!" and Niall turned back. "I love you most dearly, but to even consider this would be a death sentence for both of us!"

"And if you don't, I'm under a death sentence anyway," Sookie cried.

"You're mortal!" Niall spat back. "You are as you should be!"

"None of this is 'as it should be'" Sookie spat back. "I'm supposed to be with Eric. I know it to my toes, and I am not giving up!"

Her eyes flashed and Niall could see magic gathering around her. ' _Macha_ ,' he thought. She reminded him of the warrior queen of legend, a fearsome Fae who danced among the slain. "I will not violate my laws," Niall told her, "Not even for you."

She stood, trembling before him, and then the magic drained from her. Tears stood in her eyes, but she remained defiant. "I will get him back," she vowed. "I don't know how, but I will."

It was the single tear that broke the tension. Niall stepped forward and in a moment, she was in his arms, a sad woman, crying for her broken heart.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

More time passed. Eric noticed for every young man who arrived, his small bag of possessions in hand, another one 'graduated.' There had been two of these leave-takings in the months since the Viking arrived. Each time, the young man would be cheered, his fellows chasing the car as it drove down the long driveway. The leave-taker would have his head out the window, shouting promises to write soon. Eric wondered if he was the only one to notice Gregor's truck leave soon after. Appius might appear to be charming, but Eric wasn't fooled.

One warm evening things changed. Generally, Eric spent his evenings standing along the wall, taking up the post of protector, observer to Appius' games. The boys were gathered around his Maker watching a movie when Appius stood, detaching himself from the group. He motioned to Eric and they retreated outside to a patio. "Your Queen has stopped bothering even the appearance of clearing up this problem!" he hissed. "She tells me the investigation could take years, decades. It's clear to me she has no interest in retrieving you. What is your explanation?"

Eric drew himself up and then exhaled. He felt the sting. To take criticism from Appius' toys was one thing. Eric understood their motivation, but hearing he'd fallen from favor with Sophie-Ann as well was something else. "I have none. It was I who warned her of the take-over," he stammered, "I saved her…"

"She is not returning my calls!" Appius retorted. "After all that fuss Andre made! I don't think they had any intention of taking you back. They just wanted to make sure your continued existence would be a thorn in my side!"

"I regret…" Eric started, but Appius cut him off.

"I don't need your apologies! You chose to serve an unworthy Queen. You brought the Seelie into her life and it seems she values their gold more than the duty she owes you as her sworn vassal. Let that be a lesson to you!" and Appius stalked away. He paced back and forth several times, his hands crossed behind his back.

"I have waited centuries for you to fulfill your destiny, Eric. You show moments of great promise, and then, just as you are close, you do something or say something to throw it all away! How many times have I told you that you are judged by the company you keep? And now, look at you! You are back where you started, a Child waiting its Master's command." Appius made a disgusted noise before stopping in front of Eric. "You are my responsibility again and I will do what is best to make sure you are positioned to succeed this time. I can't have you finding yourself disgraced and returned to me again and again. It's not good for you," by which Eric knew is wasn't convenient for Appius.

"I have friendships, relationships," Eric pleaded. "If I had my phone, I could reach out…"

"To make another mess for me as you did this last time? To align yourself with someone as unworthy as that child Queen? You think I don't understand you? I understand you all too well! You seek those who are weaker, thinking yourself clever enough to manipulate them into letting you do as you wish. You make bad choices!" Appius lifted his chin a bit and gave Eric a long, steady stare. "No, the least I can do this time is get you off to the right start. I have made overtures to several Kings and I believe I will have an agreement in hand shortly. Of course, the best I can do for you is consort, but aligned with a strong ruler, someone who understands the meaning of being vampire. It should reinforce your best tendencies instead of your basic laziness."

"But, I'm bonded!" The words tumbled out. If Eric could have taken them back, he would have. Bonding presented an impediment, not an obstacle, and he knew it.

Appius eyes narrowed, "I notice you didn't bother to mention the pledging. So, you still think of her?" and Appius waited. When Eric didn't respond, his Maker's smile simply widened, "Don't bother to deny it. I know you do." From his jacket, Appius drew out Eric's phone. "She texts you," he purred. "She pleads with you to contact her. She misses you. She loves you."

Eric dug deep. He knew these words were meant to elicit a response and he was determined not to provide one. He failed.

"You know the dangers of emotions." Appius shook his head, sending Eric the full weight of his disappointment. "How many lessons did I give you? How many years spent showing you the error in following human ways?" Eric braced himself, ready for the quick movement and the resulting pain that accompanied Appius' preferred punishments, but, to Eric's surprise, his Maker stepped back.

"You are too old for lessons that have clearly failed to have their intended effect," his Maker sighed. "I can see this Seelie truly is a sickness for you. She haunts you and you are unable to give her up. I know it will anger Brigant, but I would be remiss if I didn't do something to free you from her."

"I will agree to anything you say!" Eric exclaimed. "She is what you say, a sickness, but ending her… Niall Brigant would not rest until retribution is paid. He will use every asset to destroy you and all you hold dear." Eric opened his feelings, truly opened them. He invited his Maker into every deep and dark part of him, desperate to impress his Maker of his sincerity.

Appius did venture through Eric's thoughts, but not as far nor as brutally as Eric anticipated. Instead, his Maker appeared wearied, "I asked you before, Eric, is this woman truly Seelie?" The question hung between them.

"No," Eric conceded, but when his Maker's eyebrow lifted, Eric added, "I believe she is something more."

In a moment, Appius was in Eric's face, his fangs bared. "I want you to be more specific!" he ordered.

"I can't say what she is," Eric stammered. "Not with any certainty. She is not a witch, but she's not human. She isn't Seelie either. Sookie is…her own," Eric concluded.

Appius didn't look satisfied and his eyes narrowed. Eric felt his suspicion, and then, for a brief moment, Eric thought he felt fear, but just as quickly, it was gone. "I will make inquiries," Appius nodded. "If things are as you say, I will reward the warning you provided. As you can see, my life has become sweet to me. I live well, and I have no wish to end this existence. But," and he walked close to Eric, "if it appears you have misled me, my Child, know that it will be on your head. I will order it to be your hands to snuff the life from your beloved, your Älskade." Eric was prepared for Appius' anger, but instead, there was only that deep sense of disappointment and Eric found it cut just as deeply.

Appius didn't bring it up again. Nights passed and life at the dacha carried on, small party following small party, Appius, the happy center of laughing boys who hastened to tease and spoil him. Eric wondered if Appius had decided to simply trust him and not pursue it further, but his rational self knew better.

It was nearing the promise of Samhain. The moon rose full and there had been the first chill of winter on the wind. Eric was standing in the garden, listening to the sound of dry birch leaves rustling in the forests surrounding them. Soon, there would be nothing but the deep green of evergreen, stark against the white of snow. "Do you wonder if she stares at the same moon?" his Maker asked.

Eric hadn't heard Appius approach, but blocking their bond was his Maker's prerogative. "I was thinking further back," Eric conceded. "I was thinking of my home in the land of fjords."

"Where I found you," and Appius laid his hand on Eric's shoulder. "You appeared like a vision."

"You were starving," Eric replied.

"I was," Appius agreed, "but even though I've been hard on you, I do believe you have the makings of a great vampire. For those of us who are most intelligent, it sometimes takes longer," and Appius chuckled, thinking it a joke. They stood together, both watching the moon, and then Appius said, "It seems I owe you a debt, Eric. You were right. She is more."

"Sookie." Her name spilled from his lips. He hadn't felt her since that first time when she'd pulled him back from despair. He wasn't surprised; knew he should be thankful, but still, he thought of her.

"She lives among the Seelie now. They watch over her. It is not anything those creatures would do for some mere hybrid. She's seen dancing and prancing among them as if she was their own Queen of the May. You were right to warn me, Eric. Damaging her would cause far more trouble than she's worth." Eric waited, not daring to think where this conversation might be leading.

He didn't have to wait long. Appius signaled he wanted to walk. "As you may imagine, the interest in taking on a consort with your…shall we say, disabilities, was not keen. The key is this woman's mortality. She presents a problem now, but in fifty years, maybe less, she'll be gone." Eric didn't bother to hide the shiver running through him. What was the point? His Maker knew all. "Yes," Appius acknowledged, "I know it affects you and so would any future mate. This woman could be used to compromise you. Of course," and Appius stopped pacing, instead sitting and inviting Eric to join him. "weighing against that is her place with Brigant. He has no argument with vampires, in fact, he and your 'Queen' are working quite well in their partnership, well enough to be creating some envy with other rulers.

Niall must be doing well, since he is willing to tell others the only purpose of your pledging was to provide that woman safety until her place could be established with her own kind. The bonding was… Well, we can call it an unfortunate accident."

Appius patted Eric's knee, "In fact, I did call it that and your Queen is willing to say it as well. It has helped in the negotiations."

"You have found someone." Eric could feel his throat tighten. He had agreed to support anything Appius decided. This would happen.

Appius appeared very pleased with himself as he said, "All things considered, I don't think I could have done better, even had I waited for this woman to die. He is a brilliant King and a great vampire. He is a little younger than you, but you have gotten along well with him in past…" 

"Robert," Eric finished.

"He actually reached out to me to explore the possibilities. He hadn't been among my first choices, but it's only because I didn't think he'd consider you," Appius said with growing enthusiasm. "He is far enough away so the pull of your bond with the other one will be diminished and if you agree to bond with Robert, in addition to pledging, the pull will be even less." Appius turned so he could look into Eric's face, "I don't want you to feel pressured to bond with him, though. I wouldn't inflict an unwanted bond on you! If you don't wish to bond with your consort, I will send vials of my own blood to you every week. It will allow you to ward off any lingering effects from your unfortunate ties to that person."

"How soon?" Eric asked.

Appius smiled brightly, feeling his Child's acceptance. "We can fly to Ireland within the week. I will have to buy out your contract with Sophie-Ann. I imagine the bitch will be furious when she finds out what I've arranged, so we must take pains to make sure she isn't told. She has made clear through her foot-dragging how valued she feels you are to her kingdom. I'll tell her I realized how much I missed you and have decided to keep you under my wing indefinitely until she signs the agreement. She thinks she hates me now? She has no idea how cold revenge tastes. I will have payment for every slight she inflicted on you, that terrible bonding, her forgetting her debt as your Queen, and this exile. Just wait!"

"And my prior pledging?" Eric asked. He already knew the answer.

"Sophie-Ann first. Once she releases you, the bill of divorce won't hold us up more than another night. You have an attorney there…"

"Cataliades," Eric provided.

"Yes," Appius grinned, all happiness, "yes, the demon. He can handle it." Appius stood and briskly rubbed his hands together. "It has been a lovely interlude having you here, Eric, but it is time for you to return to your world and for me to more fully live in mine."


	51. Chapter 50 - And They Shall See

**Chapter 50 – And They Shall See**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

For once, Sookie's luck seemed to hold. Contractors made arrangements and showed up when they said they would. There were no unexpected delays or stoppages and the house with its barn transformed as if by magic.

Of the two buildings, it was the barn that was truly the miracle. It started as a mere shell, it's shingle roof patched and sagging in places. A small excavator was brought in and trucks left, loaded with generations of old straw and cow manure. The carpenter told Sookie the architect was daft and for over a week, she was gifted with sideways glances and cuss words hissed low, but now, even the greatest skeptics were impressed. The main floor opened up, light and airy, new insulation and soft lights gracing the soaring ceilings. Sookie had given in, allowing a small loft of sorts to be built over the kitchen and dining room, but only after winning her argument to have the new design incorporate skylights with tunnels that cut through the kitchen ceiling, allowing shafts of light to flood in from the sky above.

As soon as the first floor was finished, Sookie moved her few belongings over from the main house. She thanked Joyce and moved permanently out of the B&B in Carreigh as well. She no sooner settled her clothes than she had Ian arrange to have the furniture from Slievemore pulled out of storage.

Sookie wasn't exactly sure what Pam decided was hers, and so she watched the unpacking with growing curiosity. About halfway through, Sookie realized Pam had sent every piece of furniture. There were also boxes, all labeled. 'Kitchenware,' said one, and 'Bathroom,' said another. It wasn't a large stack and Sookie could see that not one said, "Books.' It made Sookie both happy and sad all at the same time.

As Sookie directed the movers, telling them where and how to place things, she could see there would still be plenty of gaps, more furnishings she would need to buy. The Goat House was small and the space she now owned, the combined house and barn, was huge in comparison. As each piece came off the truck, Sookie found herself lost in memories. She thought of the times she'd sat behind a particular desk, or how she and Eric almost broke the small table, making love on it. The unpacking might have gone faster, except for the attention Sookie paid in placing each chair, each dresser, with care.

The one piece Sookie found most troubling was the attic bed. Technically, it was Eric's. It had been there under the eaves before she arrived and Sookie was surprised Pam sent it. When asked where to set it up, Sookie found herself directing the movers to the first-floor guestroom in the barn. For some reason, she couldn't stand the idea of placing it below, and so the master bedroom remained open without a bed and Sookie slept above.

The surprise had been the copy of Wuthering Heights she found tucked in the box with the linens. Sookie had been reading it when Eric left. It was one of his books, the only one now left in her possession. Just seeing it overcame her and she retreated to the ocean, walking down the beach, the book clutched to her chest. It had been weeks since she'd given herself permission to collapse, but now, holding this reminder, she let her pain flow.

She didn't know how long she sat there, wiping the snot from her face with her shirt sleeve, not caring how bad she looked. It must have been a while, though, because Ian came to look for her.

"Are you okay, then?" he asked, offering her his handkerchief.

Sookie took a deep breath. ' _Enough for today_ ,' she thought, and nodding, stood.

"Will you look at that?" Ian said, and Sookie followed his gaze toward the water. She had been seeing the seals for some time. Usually it was just one or two bobbing offshore. They seemed to like pulling themselves up on the beach to sun themselves, but today, everywhere she looked, there were bobbing heads among the waves.

"I wonder if it's mating season," Sookie ventured. It was the only reason she could think for so many of them to be together.

"Or the fish are running," Ian offered. "Good fishing off these beaches. Not a lot of locals, but you'll see the bigger boats laying line often enough."

Ian turned, his feet leaving clear prints in the wet sand, but Sookie lingered a while longer. Most of the seals seemed intent on their play, rolling and splashing, but some seemed more interested in watching her. ' _I wonder_ ,' she thought. It wasn't anything she could sense, not really, but seeing the bobbing heads and watchful brown eyes reminded her of standing on the rock on Spectacle Island in Boston Harbor, what seemed a century ago.

Ian stopped and was looking over his shoulder at her. "Coming!" Sookie called, and hurried after him, taking care to place her feet in the marks he left.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Maryann came out at least once a week. Her visits were timed for morning, before the front door opened for check-in at her own place. Together, she and Sookie inventoried each room. Maryann was a harsh critic when it came to mattresses and bed linens. Everything had to be new and then washed until it was soft. "It's work at the beginning, but you'll be happy in the end," she assured her friend.

Because Maryann had been in the business so long, she could introduce Sookie to other tricks of their now shared trade. Together, they ventured into Glenglas to scout out the best place for dinner and where local shopping could be done. If Carreigh was small, Glenglas was smaller. It had two buildings that touted themselves as restaurants, but only one looked like a going concern. It was old and single-storied. There was a grubby picnic table out front and a sign making clear it only opened on particular days, and then only after a certain hour.

"The reputation is good," Maryann assured Sookie, walking her around the back to tap on the family's door.

The owner answered, wearing little more than a t-shirt. "Crap," he hissed under his breath, sized them up and growled, "Give me a minute." He hurried back into the house and returned after more like five minutes, wearing a proper button-down shirt and dungarees instead of boxers.

"What can I do for you ladies?" he asked.

"My friend is opening a B&B up the road…" Maryann started.

"Oh!" and for the first time, the man smiled. "I heard about you," and the way he appraised Sookie reminded her of Brian in Slievemore. "I'm sorry about the way I answered the door. My neighbor across the way is having car trouble and most mornings, its himself knocking on my door, asking for a ride. I expect you'll be asking about something else." With a shake of his head, he looked back into the house, and called, "Mary, could you put on some tea? It's the new B&B up the road." Stepping back, he invited them in, saying, "I'll expect you'd like a look at my menu."

Sookie found she was the third person to try making a B&B at her location. "The first was a git," the owner, also a Brian, told her. "Had a mean look and a stingy disposition. Not promising for an inn keeper." The second was as Sookie had been told. They were a couple from further North. They'd invested everything they had, and then she took cancer. "She died there," Mary, Brian's wife informed them, giving Sookie a look as though asking whether that was a problem.

"What happened to himself, then?" Maryann asked politely.

"Returned to his people," Brian nodded. "He was a good man, kindly, but young."

"You're young, too," Mary observed. "But I suppose starting a new place takes a lot of energy."

"And money," Brian nodded. "But sounds as if you have the clink to pay folks on time. That goes a long way around here."

"Goes a long way around anywhere," Sookie added.

"She isn't just relying on the B&B, though," Maryann volunteered. "She does the books for half the businesses in Slievemore, including mine. Figured out when the employees were stealing from one place. Saved the owners a bit of a surprise."

"So, smart, too!" and the new Brian laughed.

"We're not so grand as Slievemore," Mary said defensively.

"Which means you appreciate value," Maryann replied, and the information sharing began.

There was a grocery in the next town, but Brian and Mary told Sookie she'd be better served ordering from the restaurant outfit they used. "Consistent quality. If it's not right, it doesn't go on the truck," Mary told them. Deliveries were once a week, "and they've never missed for weather." Sookie took the name and number.

"Do you expect to offer your folks dinner here every night?" Mary asked. Sookie could see the idea made the woman across the table nervous. Sookie had already described her accommodations, and even though ten would be a handful for breakfast, it wasn't that many for dinner. No one wished to fill out the supplies necessary for a decent menu, only to have to throw things away.

"I'm not sure how the foot traffic will work," Sookie shrugged. "Why don't I plan on sticking with your normal schedule and I'll cook on the off nights."

Maryann asked, "Do you have music here?"

"Fridays and Saturdays," Brian nodded. "They're good, too. Not Slievemore, of course, but they've been playing together since they were boys."

"How loud does it get?" Maryann asked.

"No TV, if that's what you're asking. The place across the street opens for the big sports events. Drags his flat screen in and they stay there, celebrating, or more like crying over the local heroes."

"But no spill-over?" Maryann pressed.

"No," Brian assured her, "No trouble here."

Maryann turned to Sookie, "Nothing turns visitors off faster than finding themselves swept into a bar brawl. It's the kind of thing that shouldn't be your problem, but it will be because you sent them here." Turning back to Mary, she asked, "What about the competition? I'm wondering why the nearest B&B is so far away."

"Most of the land here is held by private owners. That's why you don't see many houses along this stretch of beach. Happy for the conservation folks, but wish they'd open their fists a little and let a few more people move in." Mary glanced at Brian, "Still, for those who like the quiet and a bit of country, it's a lovely place to live."

Sookie shared the name of the walking service she'd contacted, and Brian gave her two more names. "Those who come through mention these folks fair often," he shared.

It was near noon when they left and Sookie texted Ian, apologizing for running late. "Staying for lunch?" she asked Maryann.

"Worried about being alone in a house full of men?" Maryann teased.

"The workers all head out for a sandwich and a pint," Sookie laughed, "No, it's being alone with Ian. He needs a girlfriend and he seems to think I might be it."

"We could tell him you've decided to become a sister wife," and Maryann nudged Sookie.

"Tease away!" Sookie eye-rolled.

"Seriously," Maryann said after a bit, "What's wrong with Ian?"

"You know!" Sookie huffed. "Maybe someday… I don't know…maybe never. He's nice and he deserves someone who can love him all the way and from where I sit, I don't think I'll ever be able to do that."

"Sometimes life sucks," Maryann sighed.

"Sometimes it doesn't suck enough!" Sookie grinned.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie sat at her desk one bright morning and texted the hiking services, letting them know she was open for bookings. There were two who agreed to work with her and another said they'd see how the upcoming season went. What was in Sookie's favor was the popularity of walking. Whether it was marketing or just the changing population, it seemed people from all over the world wanted to come to Ireland exploring well-marked trails with beautiful views, and then wake up in a soft bed, have breakfast, and do it all over again.

Sookie's place really was perfect. The B&Bs available before hers were almost fifteen miles away and the first one available after her was another 2 miles of trail. "I do hope you stick," one of the services told her. "We have a number of older walkers and the distance on this stretch can make the trail too challenging. If you're there, we can start to recommend the trail again."

"I have two rooms on ground level," Sookie reminded them. "Easier on tired feet to be able to just walk down a hall." It didn't seem likely anyone walking this trail would have a disability, but she thought having rooms that didn't require climbing stairs might still be considered an attraction.

When the calls were over, Sookie glanced at the clock. The plumber was due back. Sookie wanted a bathroom installed in the master bedroom in the barn. Because it was below ground level, it required special fixtures. The toilet had to be ordered and she'd received a text last night that the unit finally came in. Sookie decided to wait for the contractor outside. She'd started a garden patch to the left of the house in the small dip of land. The ground here was loamy, even this close to the ocean. On Maryann's recommendation, she'd stuck to potatoes as her first try at farming.

In all her years, Sookie had never grown vegetables. There had been houses she'd lived in with room for a garden, but with the moving her family did, they never got around to planting. Pulling on her gloves, she attacked the edges of her small garden plot with a hoe, pulling up more grass, expanding the dirt area for future experiments.

"Say!' someone called.

Sookie turned to see two women walking toward her from the trail. One was limping, the other holding her arm, helping her to walk. "Are you all right?" Sookie called back.

"Yes," the injured one replied.

"No," the uninjured one contradicted, then, looking at her companion said, "Marty twisted her ankle. Do you know if there's a B&B or a hotel nearby?"

"There's one about five kilometers ahead," Sookie told them. "Do you have reservations?"

"No," the one called Marty answered. "We've been kind of winging it."

"Hi," said the other, "I'm Jill."

"Sookie," Sookie answered, holding out her hand. "Look, I can give you a ride," and then she glanced back at her house. "Or you could stay here. I'm just opening a B&B. You could be my test customers, if you'd like."

Marty looked past her at the house, "Really? Here? This place is beautiful. We don't have a lot of money…"

"You'd be doing me a favor," Sookie assured them. "Let's say 20 Euro for the night and you promise to give me brutal feedback."

"Sold!" Jill exclaimed, and then, looking worried, asked, "You do have running water, right?"

"I'll even give you a room with its own bath," Sookie laughed, and it was settled.

Sookie helped carry Marty's backpack in and she settled them in the larger of the ground floor rooms. "I'll get some tea started," she offered. "It will be out in the parlor when you're ready."

Sookie walked back to the main kitchen and started the water. She pulled out her tray and fixed the tea things. "Glad I baked," she mumbled to herself, cutting some date bread and filling a jam pot.

When she walked out through the dining room, Jill was in the parlor. "This place is really nice!" her guest told her.

"I'm glad you think so," Sookie blushed. "I hope other people think so, too." Glancing toward the hallway, Sookie asked, "Does your friend need an aspirin? I may have an Ace bandage around here somewhere."

"No, we have all of that," Jill winked. "Marty and I have been doing this kind of thing for a long time. We get an extra day, or some vacation stored up and tell the spouse and kiddies to fend for themselves while we take off to hike in some country or another. Marty wanted to come back to Ireland and so, here we are!"

Jill didn't look particularly athletic, but she was solid. Her crisp gray hair curled around her face. Marty limped into the parlor, using a walking pole. "Hope you don't mind," she said, holding the pole up. She'd wrapped the sharp nub with what looked like tape. "I won't scratch the floors, I promise."

"Don't worry about it," Sookie assured her. She was turning to go when Marty called her back.

"You sound American," she said.

"I was born there," Sookie answered. "But I'm naturalized Irish, now."

"That sounds like a story," Jill grinned.

"Is your husband Irish?" Marty asked, nodding toward Sookie's ring.

"Yes," Sookie replied, and then, "as much as he's anything. He's a bit of a wanderer." She couldn't think of how else to describe the status of a vampire. Sookie kept waiting for the next question, the one where they asked when Eric was coming home, but the women didn't. Instead, they asked Sookie what made her consider opening a B&B. They asked what brought her from America. They asked about what she'd seen in Ireland and where to find the best dinner in Slievemore.

There was a knock at the door and Sookie left to deal with the contractor. It took both the plumber and his assistant to maneuver the toilet down the stairs in the barn and then into the small bathroom. "Who sleeps in their basement?" he grumbled, keeping his voice low enough that Sookie could choose to ignore him.

When she went back to the main house to check on her guests, she searched only to find them outside, standing on the edge of the small hill leading down to the beach. "I can't believe you have trained seals here," Jill laughed.

"What are you talking about?" Sookie asked.

"We just watched one come up out of the water and leave you a present," Jill told her, pointing to the deck that extended off Sookie's barn-house.

There on the deck was a flopping fish. It was fairly big. Sookie thought it might be a cod. "Well, I never," she huffed.

"What are you going to do with it?" Marty asked.

"Cook it, I expect," Sookie said softly. She stared back toward the ocean. She could see the marks the seal made as it crossed the soft sand. She stared out over the waves and sure enough, there was a head, and then another bobbing just off shore. Looking at her guests, Sookie said, "Not for you, of course! I have a nice chicken in the fridge. Maybe something with rosemary potatoes?"

The fish was still flopping on the deck and Sookie realized she was going to have to kill it. She leaned down to put her hand on it and the thing gave a great flip. Sookie almost fell over, she leaped back so fast. "You have any idea what you're doing?" Jill chuckled.

"I've never done this before," Sookie confessed.

"Well, I think we should have fish," Marty said quite definitively. "Those rosemary potatoes will go just as well and a nice fish like this will taste best fresh."

"Got a knife?" Jill asked.

Jill showed Sookie how to hook her fingers under the gills to carry it. "I've been fishing a lot!" Jill assured her. "My ex-husband had a boat and we were always going out: lakes, ocean. He was a great one for fishing!"

"You're sure you don't mind?" Sookie asked again. "I mean, it is kind of odd."

"If the animal was rabid, he wouldn't be making deliveries," Jill laughed. "You have to give him credit. Not a bite mark on it, except near the head."

"You sure it's not some pet?" Marty teased. "You could be that girl on the Internet with the seal pup she raised…"

"A regular natural kingdom show!" Jill chortled as they walked back into the main kitchen.

It wasn't her favorite lesson, but by the time Jill was done, Sookie felt she could clean another fish if presented the opportunity. Jill cut filets from one side, then handed over the knife so Sookie could finish the job. "Well, I know what to do from here," Sookie nodded. "You're sure you don't mind eating seal fish?"

"Are you kidding?" Marty chortled. "The girls in the office won't believe it!"

"It's true," Jill agreed. "They already think we're daft already. Wait till we tell them this one!"

Dinner wasn't exactly how Sookie imagined it would go. In Sookie's dream, she ran the kitchen while her guests walked the beach or sat, comfy in front of the peat fire. Instead, Sookie, Jill, and Marty shared duties in the big kitchen, their talk fueled by bottles of wine.

The fish turned out well. Sookie added some steamed carrots. It wasn't elegant, but she hadn't really been expecting guests. "You turn out dinners like this every night and you'll be the star of the coast!" Marty proclaimed, spooning into the bread pudding Sookie had cobbled together.

"I'm thinking most nights I'll run guests into Glenglas," Sookie explained. "There's a nice pub there. Brian and his wife have a solid reputation and on weekends they have music." She started clearing dishes, refusing any help. "You are my guests after all, and I need to earn those reviews! Relax. Finish off that wine."

"If we do, we won't be walking tomorrow," Jill sighed.

"Do you think you should?" Sookie asked, staring at Marty's tender ankle.

"Oh, don't worry about me," Marty told her. "A good night's sleep, a couple muscle relaxers, and by tomorrow, I'll be right as rain!"

They talked about breakfast for next morning and Sookie confirmed they were tea, not coffee drinkers. "I'll be cleaning up the kitchen and then heading over to my place," Sookie told them. "If you need anything, just knock," and Sookie handed them a card, "Or call this number. It's my cell."

Jill was looking around. "Aren't you lonely out here?" she asked.

Sookie bit her lip, but then she looked straight at the women, her first guests, and said, "Not anymore."

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"I'm so proud of you!" Maryann exclaimed, looking at the money Sookie had put in an envelope, wondering whether she should just frame it. "A real B&B owner." It was one of Maryann's evenings off. She only had a couple guests and she'd left them in the care of the young woman who now lived over the garage in Sookie's old apartment.

"They were so nice. They're from England and they do this all the time, take off to walk places." Sookie gushed.

"Still, they're foolish not to make reservations," Maryann shook her head. "Even this late in the season, it can be a roll of the dice finding rooms in some of these places. What if you'd been full? It would have been a long walk for a woman with an injury. And what if the next place was full, too? Not a lot of places on this trail, as you've seen."

"Those two?" Sookie laughed, thinking of Jill and Marty's wry humor and no-nonsense attitude, "I could see them just wrapping up in a slicker and sleeping under some bush. They were wonderful! Inspiring!"

"Odd!" and Maryann shook her head. "You really do attract them!"

"Speaking of odd," and Sookie told Maryann about the fish.

"And you ate it?" Maryann's lips curved down. "That's just… I can't believe you did that! And served it to guests?"

Sookie shrugged, but there was something niggling in the back of her mind, something that wasn't about whether or not eating the fish had been sanitary. She found herself remembering swimming with seals. She'd done it with Breandan, and then again with Moira. She hadn't seen the glow she associated with Fae when she looked at the animals off her shore, but she felt a chill that had nothing to do with temperature.

"Come on," Maryann sighed in disgust. She stood up and grabbed the small notebook Sookie always seemed to have sitting beside her. "Now that you're official, we should start making lists of the homey touches you'll need."

"What do you mean?" Sookie asked, following her friend into the main house.

"Art for the walls, pottery, rugs. We're coming into winter. It's the best time to look for things. There's the clearance sales and consignment shops. Everyone wants to clear inventory before things really shut down for the season. For example," and Maryann looked around the parlor, "Bookcases would be a good add here. Stock them with some books, maybe something your guests can use on a borrow program. Since the services handle their heavy bags, a lot of them bring books. You could leave a sign inviting them to take one or leave one."

"Yes," Sookie nodded, "That would be nice." All she could see were the bookcases in Ballytyne, and then at Goat House, filled with Eric's library. She wondered where those wonderful books were now. She remembered how his long fingers wandered over the spines, the way his mouth curved when he pulled one out, making a choice for her.

"Sookie?" Maryann called.

With a start, Sookie realized her friend was halfway up the stairs. "Coming!" she called, shaking off the cobwebs of her memories.

Maryann walked Sookie through the upstairs bedrooms and each of the bathrooms, making notes and marking colors. Sookie kept most things neutrals, but she had made a point of selecting different bedspreads for each room, so matching had become important. They were standing in the dining room, when Sookie realized Maryann was hiding something.

"What is this all about?" she finally asked, interrupting Maryann's monologue on the use of platters as wall art.

"What do you mean?" Maryann asked.

"You know!" Sookie challenged. "You've been absolutely single-minded tonight, lecturing and marshalling around the place."

"I have not!" Maryann protested, but then equivocated, adding, "I'm just trying to make sure you succeed."

"There's something going on," Sookie challenged. "I've known you for a while and I've seen this before. There's something bothering you and you're purposely trying not to think about it."

Sookie thought Maryann would protest. She could see her friend's struggle, a million emotions flashing across her face, but, in the end, she pulled out a chair and sat down at the large dining room table. "It's probably nothing," Maryann sighed. "I'm sure I'm just imagining it and if I say it out loud, I know it will cause trouble."

"I'm your friend," Sookie assured her. "Tell me."

"Pam," Maryann started, then took a deep breath. She glanced at Sookie and then looked away. "She got a call last night."

"What kind of call?" There was something about this that had Sookie sitting up.

"Sophie-Ann…or someone else. Andre maybe, he called." Sookie held her breath, waiting. "She's going there tonight. Something important, but she wouldn't tell me what."

"But, you have an idea," Sookie prompted.

"I don't know if it's him," Maryann whispered.

"Eric!" and Sookie was standing.

"That's why I didn't want to say anything. Pam didn't say it. I really have no reason to think this. It could be nothing, it's just she usually tells me what's going on and she seemed… I don't know…different, upset," and Maryann stood, too, reaching out. "I could be wrong. I don't want you to get hurt. It may be just my overactive imagination."

Sookie glanced at the darkening window. "They'll be up," she nodded. "Eric's usually risen by now. Pam will be, too. It's about three hours to Sophie-Ann's…"

"I don't think you should go there!" Maryann exclaimed. "Jesus, Sookie! Can't you just call? Surely, there's someone…"

"Oh?" and Sookie rounded on Maryann, all her frustration bubbling over, "Call who? Like any of them would answer or tell me if the truth! It's been months and not one word! Every person I ask treats me like I'm some child they can just ignore. 'Don't worry, Sookie! Move on, Sookie!' As if I could!" Sookie could feel her magic gathering around her.

"You're frightening me," Maryann said, and Sookie caught a look at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were flashing and her hair had started to lift.

It startled her enough to get herself under control, "I'm sorry," Sookie stammered. "It's just…this has been so hard. I have to go! If only to confirm he wasn't there. If I ever found out he was, and I just sat here, waiting… I'd never forgive myself."

It took Maryann a minute, but she seemed to overcome her fear. Sookie wasn't sure if her friend simply accepted Sookie's lapse, or if she was busy telling herself she hadn't seen it, but in any event, Maryann hugged her, and it made Sookie feel better.

It had been some time since Sookie had traveled to the Queen's palace and most times, she hadn't been the one driving. "What if I don't remember the way" she asked aloud, torturing herself. Fortunately, she did remember certain landmarks. It was only one missed turn she figured out within a few miles and it was only ten o'clock when she pulled into the driveway.

Sookie expected to see the parking area full. It had been the other nights she'd come here, but tonight, there was only a scattering of vehicles. She pulled toward the car park, wondering whether she had the courage to get out of her car, but she solved that mystery by turning the key off and opening the door. Her next debate was whether she'd be able to say anything when she reached the guard at the door.

"Why are you here?" he asked unpleasantly.

"I have a right," she answered, finding her courage along with her lifting chin. "I'm pledged to a vampire. That makes me, technically, vampire." She lifted her hand, showing the ruby ring Eric had given her. It was the last thing she'd grabbed as she left her house tonight, thinking maybe if she showed it to him he'd remember how much they loved each other. Maybe it would remind him to come home.

"You're too late," he sneered.

Sookie felt the breath leave her. "What do you mean?" she stammered.

"He's already left with his Maker. The Queen's released him," and the guard looked pleased in a mean way. "They say you're next."

"What?" Sookie asked, but then Wybert walked out the front door.

The guard she'd been speaking with bowed quickly and stepped inside the house. "What are you doing here?" Wybert asked her. "I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Who told you?"

"No one," Sookie stammered. "Where is he? Why didn't someone call me?"

"If Northman wanted you here, he would have arranged it," Wybert said, but then, seemed to reconsider. "There are things at work, Little Sookie. Eric's Maker is a God among us. He formally requested the Northman be released and he sweetened the deal. Sophie-Ann couldn't refuse."

"What does that mean?" Sookie asked. Of all the vampires here, Wybert was the only one who seemed to like her, and so she waited.

He almost turned away and Sookie's heart began to sink, but then he seemed to think better of it. "Appius means to take him away. There will be no question of his returning to Ireland again. Who knows where he'll end up? Appius will see that it's far away from you. He had some harsh words tonight for the Queen. I thought she'd order me to try and end the old bastard, which would have meant the end of me. No one can defeat The Roman. He's too old! But in the end, she agreed with him. If there was a way to break the bond, we would. I'm sorry for you…and him."

"I don't want the bond broken," Sookie confessed, but knew right away it was the wrong thing to say. "Do you know where they've gone?" she asked quickly, trying to cover her lapse.

"I didn't ask," Wybert shrugged. "You shouldn't either. The Roman is bad news. If he catches you, he'll kill you or have Northman do it. Go home. Count your lucky stars and stay away from vampires. You'll live a longer life."

He turned from her then, and in a gesture all too human, he shut the front door and turned out the light, leaving Sookie standing on a darkened porch.

Sookie sat in her car. Her head was a whirl. It was late, but not too late. It was possible they'd headed out to the airport. Even now, a plane could be waiting on the runway, it's engine running, preparing to take him away from her forever. "I've got to choose," Sookie thought, and then she knew. "Ballytyne!" She didn't know how she knew, but she was sure they would go there. Eric's things were there and there were light tight chambers. "He'll want to see Pam," she told herself. "He'll want to wrap things up here," making up reasons for Eric to linger, even if those reasons didn't seem to include her. Only half-believing, she raced down the narrow roads, closing the miles until she'd know.

She wasn't sure if it was relief or dread when she turned into the driveway to see the strange car. The house was dark, but she wasn't fooled. Vampires only turned the lights on when there were people like her around, people who needed light to see. Almost immediately she felt him, cold and hoary. Not Eric. Him.

The garage doors were closed. She imagined the bays were full with Eric's car and travel coffins. She also knew the front door was locked. She had a key, but vampires could hear so well… She wondered if they already knew she was here, alerted by the sound of the tires on pavement. "Don't think about that!" she scolded herself.

Somewhere in that house was Eric Northman. Turning off the car, Sookie assessed things, trying to decide her best course of action. "If I can talk with him, we can come up with a plan," she said out loud, giving herself a much-needed pep talk. "If we're together, we can figure this out. Think, Sookie! How can you get in there?"

She was remembering each of the windows, thinking about latches and ways to break in when she doubled over, pain ripping through her. "Eric!" His name exploded from her. He was inside and as quickly as the realization settled, another wave of pain ran through her.

The time for planning was over. Closing her eyes, Sookie focused on where he was, sending him her strength, willing herself to him. She felt another wave, this time nausea, and opening her eyes, he was there. She was inside. Eric was curled on the living room floor and there was blood on him. "Eric!" Sookie cried out, scrambling toward him.

"Get out!" he croaked.

"Where are you hurt?" Sookie demanded. No sooner did her hand touch him then she was jerked back. She felt the Monster then, too. She remembered the pain in her head as he pulled her back by her hair, and the numbing cold that seemed to wrap her limbs. She felt the sharp crack as her head hit the corner of the table, and then she felt no more.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Get up!" the voice was screaming. It was far away. Sookie tried to open her eyes, but they were so very heavy. Her head was pounding and her face was wet. She could feel some things so clearly. She could feel the air that came into her lungs each time she breathed, and the slow beat of her heart as it echoed in her ears. She felt sleepy and her fingers were cold. For a moment, Sookie considered sliding back into sleep, but there was a sound, like a hammer hitting a melon, and Sookie tried harder to open her eyes.

"I want you to see this!" the voice was shouting. It was a cruel sound and Sookie knew if she didn't find consciousness soon, she might never find it again.

She was on her side, lying on the floor. She moved her finger. Not quite the floor, she could feel the rug. ' _We'll never get all the blood out_ ,' she thought, and then her lips quirked. ' _I'm probably dying and all I'm worried about is the rug?_ ' It was enough. She was able to open her eyes. It took a minute and a couple blinks to focus, but then she heard the sound again and she saw Eric. He was still on the floor, lying on the other side of the table. There was a short, black-haired man standing above him. She saw him lean back and then, she saw the shoe connect with Eric. This man was kicking her husband, landing blows in Eric's stomach. "Stop!" Sookie tried to say, but all that came out was a croak.

The man's leg was drawn back, but he did stop. Instead, his head swiveled and he fixed Sookie with a cold, black stare that reminded her of sharks. "She is rather hardy, isn't she?" the man said, using a tone Sookie remembered from any number of movies. It was the same tone the villain used before he started torturing his next victim.

"Not a victim," Sookie mumbled, sure if she just thought the words, she wouldn't hear them, or believe them over the pounding in her head. Eric looked at her. One of his eyes was swollen shut and his face was bloody. Sookie knew the Monster was coming, but she couldn't look away from Eric. It was like finding water in the desert. "I was so thirsty," she whispered, hoping Eric knew she meant she was thirsty for him.

He was beside her, the Monster. Just having him this close made Sookie want to draw herself into a ball, but instead, she made the chair in the dining room move. The Monster hesitated. She could feel it, and then she knew she was feeling him through the bond she shared with Eric. Somehow, the Monster had inserted himself, crouching on their shared emotions like some great parasite. It made her angry and Sookie found the will to make all the chairs move. One fell over with a thump, and then Monster was gone.

"Go!" Eric hissed at her.

"But I'm here to get you," Sookie answered, but there was no time. The Monster was coming back as fast as he'd left. She would have to do better.

'Tricky, just like all of them!" he hissed, his face close so all she could see were his flat, black eyes and his bloody mouth. He lifted her by the front of her shirt. Sookie wanted to spit in his face, but her mouth was dry. He touched her cheek, and inserting his finger in his mouth, sucking at it. "Delicious!" he hissed, and she was pulled closer. His eyes closed and then her neck felt as if he was ripping it open. She realized he must have already fed from her, just from the way the pain re-blossomed.

"No!" she tried to cry out, but it sounded so far away. 'Illusion," she thought. "Resist,' but none of her lessons had prepared her for this. She was being drained and no amount of training could make her numb fingers move. The Monster shifted, the pulling and tearing at her neck shifting, too.

Overhead, Sookie saw the ceiling grow dim, and then she saw her Father's face. He was smiling at her, his dark hair falling over his forehead. "Daddy!" she smiled. She longed for his arms around her, holding her, taking all her pain away.

"Hello, Sweet pea," he said to her. His eyes looked so wise, and then he said, "Time to play our game. Quick now, before Mommy comes to check on us!"

"Like this?" Sookie asked and the little column of light formed in the air above her, near where Daddy was floating.

"Just like that, my darling girl," he smiled, "but bigger. Bring it right to you. See if you can make it cover you up."

"Are you sure?" Sookie asked. She blinked more. It was so hard to keep her eyes open. Her neck hurt, and her legs did, too, quick cramps making her uncomfortable.

"Do it now," her Father urged. "Once you're inside your toy, you'll feel much better. Do it for me, Sweet pea! Make me proud!"

"'Kay, Daddy," Sookie sighed. It was hard, and then it was easy, making the column grow and grow. Its white light whirling silently, stretching across the ceiling. Sookie thought of it as a blanket coming to cover her up and make her warm again.

She felt the moment it touched her. She'd balanced it on her hand so many times, but she'd never stepped inside. She felt the jerk at her neck hurting more, but then he detached. He was screaming in her ear, so loud. His hands pulled at her, and then they were gone, too. All that was left was the screaming and the beauty of swirling light that was white, but was still all colors at once.

Sookie felt herself growing stronger. The longer she kept the light around her, the better she felt. Her legs stopped cramping. She still felt cold, but she stopped shivering and the heavy feeling was gone.

Beside her, the Monster continued making noises and some part of her was glad for it. She thought of the light burning him up, inside and out, and somehow, she thought it might be happening. She imagined the Monster as some sucking organism, leeching off her bond with Eric, and she imagined his being detached from that, too, every tendril and attachment point surgically removed and made clean.

Somewhere, far away where it wasn't warm and bright, someone was calling her name. It wasn't Daddy. It was someone else. Turning her head, she saw what was left of the Monster, his empty eye sockets staring at her, flames that didn't burn coming from his open mouth. The Monster's hands were curled in tight fists as his flesh burned from his bones in a fire that generated no heat.

Sookie was standing now, her Fae face revealed, her hair floating around her. She knew she could have let the Monster go. He was dead, but somehow it wasn't enough. Sookie held him there in the light, burning him away until nothing was left.

When even the dust disappeared, Sookie allowed the column to dissipate. She knew at some point she would feel guilty, but now, in this moment, all she felt was triumphant. She'd just killed someone. Granted, he was evil, and he certainly meant to kill her, but Sookie never thought she would be someone who took another's life. ' _What does this make me?_ ' she wondered, and she worried the answer was ' _Monster_.'


	52. Chapter 51 - Paradise Lost

**Chapter 51 – Paradise Lost**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Sookie caught her reflection in the window. It was her Fae face that looked back. Her hair floated around her, as she'd seen Niall's hair float when he was at his most magical. ' _Where did the Sookie I know go?_ ' she wondered. The ethereal woman who watched her from the window's reflection, the one with the hard eyes, was a stranger to her. To prove it was really her, Sookie looked down. The shirt she was wearing matched the one she saw in the window, right down to the dark stains.

' _My neck doesn't hurt so much_ ,' she registered. It still hurt, but the ripping and burning were gone. She watched the Fae woman in the reflection reach up to touch the side of her neck where Appius had ripped at it. It felt odd, this sensation of watching herself as if from some faraway place, but when she touched her flesh, it felt solid. Sookie looked at her fingers. They were covered with blood and Sookie felt her stomach flip over. ' _Real_ ,' she thought. ' _It was real, but now, the damage is healed. You're healed_.'

That's when she looked at the far side of the table. "Eric?" she called. Her feet moved, and she was getting closer. "Eric, we're free!"

"You killed him," Eric gasped.

Sookie touched his shoulder, but he flinched. Everywhere she looked, there was blood. "What can I do? How can I help?"

"You killed him," he said again.

That's when Sookie noticed it. She couldn't feel Eric, not even a little bit. She tried again, but there were none of the emotions and feelings she'd come to take for granted. Living with the bond was like living in Eric's pocket and she'd come to love it. Having the bond blocked these past months had fueled her loneliness and she'd assumed when this moment came, and they were together again with all the impediments removed, it would be restored. "The bond…" she stammered.

"You destroyed it." Eric didn't meet her eyes. He was moving to his knees, looking around, but he made no move to touch her.

"Eric," Sookie tried again, reaching out to touch his cheek, but this time, there was no mistaking. Eric batted her hand away.

"Don't!" he hissed. Sookie could hear there was something wrong with Eric's speech. It was in the odd whistle that ended his words. Sookie swallowed, not sure what to make of Eric's reaction.

"I came," she started over. "I found you. I never lost hope. I knew I'd find you. He's gone. We can be together."

But what Eric did wasn't what Sookie expected. He just stared at the floor and when she leaned forward, trying again to touch, to connect, he stood up so suddenly she fell back. He didn't look at her. Instead, he looked across from her to the place where she'd battled the Monster. "Eric?" Sookie called, but Eric's only answer was to throw his head back and roar. It was a gut-wrenching sound that both frightened and horrified Sookie.

It reminded her of the screaming Appius had done when she'd enveloped him. Eric's roar seemed to go on and on. He didn't need to breathe, but he stopped periodically, only to start again. She couldn't feel him, but she didn't need to. His anguish was written in every line of his body. Glass shook and things toppled. Sookie waited, but then she scrabbled backward and stood, backing away from her husband who now felt like a stranger.

In a moment, Sookie's confusion turned to anger. How dare he? How dare… "How dare you!" she snarled. Her chin lifted and her shoulders squared. Eric stopped making his noise and his head lowered. "How dare you!" Sookie challenged again. She stalked forward, her hands fisted and when Eric only stared, her hand seemed to fly up of its own volition, slapping him hard.

"What is wrong with you?" she hissed.

"You!" he snarled back. That's when she saw it. He was missing a fang and she remembered his telling her a vampire having his fangs removed was terrible.

"What did he do to you?" and Sookie reached to touch Eric's mouth, but it wasn't her Eric who stood before her tonight.

"Appius will never walk again," Eric spit out, slapping at her hand. "He was my Maker! He was…"

"Don't you tell me he was a great vampire!" Sookie flared. "Don't you dare! He was going to kill me!"

"You shouldn't have come here!" Eric growled.

"What?" His words knocked Sookie breath away. Eric wasn't sympathetic. Instead he spat out words as if they were accusations. Sookie's mouth fell open and she felt the fight drain from her. "You didn't want me here? You didn't want me?"

Eric's jaw was tight and the tendons of his neck strained. Sookie thought he looked as though he wanted to strike her and it was taking every bit of his strength to hold himself back. "I knew what my life was about," he said after a minute. "Appius was hard…"

"He was a killer!" and Sookie's temper found her again. This was unbelievable. She saved this man, killed the Monster, and this was her reward?

"So am I," Eric snarled. "So are all my race."

"So, what did you expect me to do?" Sookie asked. "Let him kill me? Were you even going to try to help me?"

"I did," Eric replied. The fight drained from him for a moment as well, but what was left stared at Sookie through cold, empty eyes. "I felt you coming. Appius did, too. I begged him to leave. Begged…for you," and Eric turned, staring out the window. "This thing between us? Appius called it a sickness. I think he was right."

"What is between us is not a sickness," Sookie growled, and then, her voice trembling, she told him her truth. "I love you, Eric Northman."

"And look where we are," he hissed. Eric raised his hand to cover where his heart should beat. "I feel nothing now. For over a thousand years I have known who I was, what I was. I didn't always like it, but I knew. Now? Now, everything is gone."

"You mean the bond? The bond is gone," Sookie clarified. She wet her lips and took a breath to steady herself, "but we can fix that. We can bond again."

Eric's eyes flared and his lip curled. He looked unbalanced with his one fang and the dried blood that covered his jaw. "Why would I do that?" he snorted. "As if that will fix what has happened? Appius is gone!"

Sookie remembered her Grandfather telling her even if she managed to kill Appius, Eric wouldn't thank her. The Seelie King told her there was a strong magic that existed in the bond between a vampire and his Maker. ' _Have I really lost him?_ ' The thought had been flitting in and around her mind and now it coalesced into a cold, solid thing.

Eric walked away from her, and stood where she had battled Appius. He stared at the floor. "No dust. Not even his fangs," he said out loud, but Sookie knew the words weren't meant for her. She didn't know what to say, half afraid if she started talking, her frustration and fear would have her saying things that would only make this worse. When he did turn back to her, she could see he was angry again. "You couldn't have left me even the smallest reminder?"

Sookie's chin lifted and her eyes flared. "Reminder?" She stared down at her shirt and then pulled it over her head, throwing it at him. "Here! Here's a reminder of your precious Maker! My blood, Eric! He was going to kill me. He ripped open my neck! He was kicking you! He…"

"I couldn't see what you were," he hissed, cutting her off.

"Oh? And what is that?" and Sookie's lip curled. Her pride kicked in and she grit her teeth before making sure her Fae face was on full display and her magic was crackling around her. "And what do you think I am? I thought I was the woman who loved you, but I'm getting the feeling you think I'm something else."

"Death," he snarled.

"Fine!" Sookie snapped. "Death? Like you? Or…" and suddenly it didn't matter. She looked around, snatching the blanket from the back the of chair, the same blanket she'd bought to give the room a little color and wrapped it around her shoulders. "I don't understand you," she hissed. "I came here to rescue you. I came here to claim what was mine. 'Älskade?' Remember that?" Suddenly, there were tears pricking her eyes, which only made her angrier. "No, apparently not. I guess all that talk about love was because of the bond. If only you hadn't been tied to me."

"You brought trouble," Eric accused.

It felt like a slap and Sookie's lip jutted, "You used to like that about me!"

She was hurting. It wasn't her body. It seemed her light had taken care of the physical punishment she'd taken. No, what hurt was something deeper and harder to diagnose. Pulling the blanket around her a little tighter, she walked over to where Eric was standing, still staring at the spot where Appius fell.

Sookie waited, willing Eric to look at her and when he did, she stomped her foot on the floor, moving her toe back and forth over the spot where Appius had burned. She scraped her foot as if she was squashing a bug. "I'm glad I killed him!" she hissed, "And I'd do it again. I'd do it a million times! If I saw him burning in the street, I wouldn't pee on him to put it out! I've done you a favor, Eric Northman, and you're an idiot not to see it!"

Sookie gathered her dignity and squaring her shoulders, headed for the front door. She fumbled with the locks, her fingers refusing to work properly. "Shit!" she swore, kicking the door in her frustration, and he was behind her. She refused to look at him as he worked the locks, but when the door was open, she hissed, "I was the best thing that ever happened to you."

"You were a mistake," he replied.

Sookie felt the fight drain from her again, leaving only great sadness. Her fingers clasped and she remembered the ruby ring, the one he'd given her. It was hard to wrestle it from her knuckle. It seemed her fingers had swollen a bit, but finally it yielded and she held it up. "Fine. Take it back!" Her hand was lifted between them, but his hand didn't lift to meet hers. When it was obvious he didn't intend to cooperate, Sookie opened her hand, letting the ring fall. Her eyes were filling and she couldn't think of anything worse than letting Eric Northman see her cry. "It's on you!" she managed to say. Sookie walked to her car, her stride stiff as she made an extra effort to keep her back straight. ' _I won't let you see me cry_ ,' she vowed. ' _You don't deserve to have any part of me ever again!_ '

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie pulled her car into the road and started driving, but when she got to the turn that would take her to her new home, she turned left instead. What did danger matter?

Her mind went numb, fighting her need to relive Ballytyne over and over. She had to keep wrestling her attention back to the road, finding the car drifting first one way and then another as the movie in her head fought to reassert itself. Each kilometer to pass without an accident became a victory, each road sign, a small win. Sookie gripped the wheel as her shock started to close in. "Through the nose, out through the mouth," she chanted, forcing her panic to take a backseat to her need to reach her destination. At the halfway point, she tried to sing a nonsense song, but within a few words, her throat was closing and her grief was making her eyes water too much to see.

"You're okay!" she lectured herself. "You have this! You can make it!" With each passing landmark, Sookie congratulated herself, talking to her reflection in the mirror as she would a child. "Just don't think about it for a little while. Just hold it together until the next turn," and then, when the next turn came, she'd tell the woman in the mirror, "See? That wasn't so hard. Just hold it together for another five miles."

Town by town, she coached and cajoled until she pulled into the driveway at Seacoast Shores. The little light was on above the back door. The lights were on in the apartment above the garage, reminding Sookie of simpler times. For a minute, Sookie was overcome, too upset to turn off the car. She leaned her head against the wheel, alternating between sobbing and then, pulling back, trying to get a handle on her jagged emotions.

"Sookie?" The voice was followed by someone trying to open her door, who then rapped the window when she found the door locked. "Sookie? Shut off the car and open your door!"

It was Pam. Sookie wasn't sure what she could say to her vampire friend. What if Pam rejected her like Eric had? "Open the door now, Sookie, or I'll break your window," Pam said, followed by, "You know I can!"

Sookie half-lifted her hand, showing she heard. With a deep, shuddering breath, she turned the key in the ignition, and then, even more slowly, she pulled the door handle. As soon as she turned to get out, Pam exclaimed, "Fuck a zombie! What happened to you? Where's your shirt?"

"I threw it at Eric," Sookie choked. She stood, but in the next minute, her knees gave way. She'd always been a little formal with Pam. She knew vampires were careful about who touched them, but tonight, Sookie just didn't care. She threw her arms around her friend and held on as if her life depended on it.

She knew Pam was carrying her and in no time, Sookie was inside the B&B, laying on the big bed while Maryann and Pam stripped off her clothes and ran a bath. "You're sure I shouldn't call a doctor?" Maryann was asking.

"It's shock," Pam answered. "We need to get her into a warm bath."

"Warm milk," Maryann said before hustling out of the room.

Pam leaned over, chafing Sookie's hands before lifting her up, carrying her into the bathroom, and lowering her into the water. Pam got up and closed the door, then returned, sitting on the edge of the tub. "You are practically glowing," she said, her voice low. "What the hell happened? Where did you see Eric?"

"I killed his Maker," Sookie blurted out. "I killed him." She couldn't meet Pam's eyes. Instead, she stared at the water's surface, seeing the replay of the white fire, it's flames eerily silent as it consumed the old vampire.

"Fuck a zombie!" Pam exhaled. She grabbed a washcloth, spilling warm water over Sookie's back. "Where was this?"

"Bally… Ballytyne," Sookie hiccupped.

There was a knock at the door and Pam rose to open it. Maryann came in with a steaming mug. "Stay with her," Pam whispered.

Maryann sat down on the edge of the tub where Pam had been sitting. "Drink this," she said, pushing the mug at Sookie.

It was cocoa. It made Sookie think of winter mornings and her Mother. "You have blood in your hair." Maryann's voice was strained. "I'm going to get a bowl. Drink your cocoa. I'll be right back."

Sookie felt broken. She was sitting in a warm tub, a cup of warmed chocolate in her hand, and all she felt was her hollowness.

Sookie could hear Pam and Maryann talking outside the bathroom. She wondered if they would ask her to leave, but they didn't. "Pam is going to Ballytyne," Maryann announced as she came back into the bathroom and sat down in Pam's place.

"Does she hate me?" Sookie asked. Her voice felt rusty and her feelings felt rustier, jagged pieces that seemed made up of the shards of the world she'd known. It was as though she'd been reborn tonight, but the person had left, and the one sitting in the warm bath was too raw and fragile to survive.

"No!" Maryann exclaimed. "I don't know what happened tonight, but Pam doesn't hate you, not at all. She told me to take care of you. She told me you were incredibly brave." Picking up a bowl, Maryann used it to help wash Sookie hair. "She said you had balls of iron, but she's worried about Eric. She didn't say so, of course, she never would, but I know her pretty well. She gets that look and she left in a hurry."

It was there, the unspoken question. If Sookie found him, why wasn't she with him? "He's left me," Sookie mumbled. Suddenly, the enormity of what happened tonight pressed down on her. ' _I've become a killer_ ,' she told herself. She looked at her hands, the nails broken and still stained around the cuticles with her own blood and Eric's. ' _I killed a man_ ,' and Sookie felt as though she couldn't catch her breath.

"Pam will sort it out," Maryann soothed her, stroking her head. It sounded good and Sookie grasped on to the idea, even though she was pretty sure there were some things that could never be sorted. Maryann took up a washcloth and humming a tune, started scrubbing Sookie's back and then, the back of her neck. The water took on a distinct pink tinge as she finished. With one last rinse, Maryann declared, "Better! Now, come on, let's get you dried off and bundled into bed. Everything will seem better in the morning."

"I should probably go," Sookie sighed. She couldn't stand the idea of being alone now, but she remembered Niall's warning. She'd just killed a vampire. Based on Eric's reaction, it wasn't likely other vampires would be too happy about what she'd done and she didn't want to reward her friend with… "Trouble. I'm not supposed to be here," Sookie said out loud. Two large tears just seemed to spring from nowhere. "I'm not supposed to be in Slievemore."

"Nonsense!" Maryann huffed. "There's nowhere else you should be. You belong here, with your friends." She helped Sookie dry off and wrapped her in a bathrobe. "Now, come on, I've set up the bedroom right next to mine. You can wear a pair of my pajamas. Let's get you dressed before you catch a chill."

Sookie knew she should go, but as she looked at herself in the mirror a new voice within her cried, ' _Let them come! You'll deal with them the same way you took care of the Monster. There's a new Sheriff in town and you never need to be afraid again!_ ' As she sat on the end of the bed, Maryann brushing her hair as her Mother had done, long ago, Sookie had a moment. She knew this new voice was right. With barely a thought, she had taken a life. It had been easy. There'd been no inner struggle and no regret… until now.

She remembered reading crime stories where the serial killer confessed the first time was the hardest. After that, the killing got easier. ' _But my first time_ _wasn't hard at all,_ ' she thought, and that realization was the most chilling of all.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

It was late when Sookie woke. She cried off and on, not knowing if she would find sleep, but then she did, only to have her nightmares chase her. Now, she was wide awake and a low moon flooded her room. "I think I should move out there for a while." It was Pam's voice.

"It's just, he doesn't like me," Maryann said softly.

They were in the hallway, so Sookie got up. She knew they were talking about Eric.

"He doesn't like anyone right now," Pam was saying, "most of all himself. I'm worried about him."

"Eric?" Sookie asked.

The women gave her that guilty look people get when they've been caught out. "We didn't mean to wake you," Maryann apologized.

"Are you talking about Eric?" Sookie asked again, and then, to Pam, "What did he say?"

Pam looked away and, for a moment, Sookie thought she might have lost her friend as well as her husband, but Pam was only thinking. "He didn't say much." Turning to Maryann, Pam said, "Would you give us a minute? I think I should talk with Sookie alone."

Pam led Sookie back to the kitchen and together, they sat. "Is it really over?" Sookie asked, not sure she wanted the answer.

"Eric's in a dark place," Pam told her. "I'm not sure how to explain this and dawn's coming." Her brow furrowed a little. "You know how it feels to always know you have family? You know no matter how hard things get, there will always be that brother or mother or aunt who will be there for you. You have the confidence there are people in this world who will stand by you."

"I do," Sookie answered, thinking of the family she'd gathered around her.

"For a vampire, your Maker is like that. You may be freed, as I was, but there is always, in the background, this humming certainty there is someone in this world who will stand beside you." Pam sighed, "I'm not really explaining it. It's more than that. Vampires live with violence. We are…well, we feel we are under almost constant threat. Maybe it's because our kind has been hunted for so long. Maybe It's because people really are out to get us," and she flashed a quick smile before continuing. "At any rate, this feeling, our bond… It gives us confidence, a sure knowledge there is someone who has our back and if needed, who will drop everything to fight for us."

"And I killed his Maker," Sookie whispered.

"You killed his Maker and Eric wasn't freed," Pam clarified. "When you are under your Maker's command, his care, the bond is even more. It's a dependency. Even though you don't rely on him for life, you still feel a need for his presence. You'll do anything he asks, find ways to please him. After time, you gain enough confidence to tease and test, which is as it should be."

"But Eric was freed for a long time," Sookie pointed out.

"He agreed to reinstate his Maker's command. It was almost as if he started all over again," Pam explained.

"How are you?" Sookie asked. "I mean, you're still connected to him…right?"

Pam smiled briefly, "Thanks for asking. I'm fine. What I'm getting from him is pretty muted. Appius hated my existence, so he made an effort to cut off the bond between any of us."

"But, when I…" and Sookie trailed off. She had started worrying making her admission was becoming all too easy, as if killing were no big thing.

"I felt his end," Pam acknowledged, guessing what Sookie was thinking, "but from far away." When Sookie looked worried, Pam patted her hand. "I know I shouldn't be telling you this, but aside from how this is affecting Eric, I don't mind. Eric shielded me from Appius. I never really knew him and I'm glad I didn't."

"Will Eric be okay?" Sookie asked.

"Eventually," Pam answered.

Sookie was pretty sure she knew the answer, but she had to ask, "Do you think it would help if I came along? Talked with him?"

"No," Pam answered, confirming it. "What Eric needs to heal isn't on the outside." She shrugged, "I think you should know, at present, he's blaming you. He thinks you're some honeytrap who's lured him into disaster."

"That's so unfair!" Sookie gasped. "I don't deserve that!"

"No, you don't," Pam acknowledged. "I'm pretty sure it's Appius talking. I didn't get a lot from him, but is sounds as if my Grand-Sire spent the past few months fucking with Eric's head." Pam glanced at the clock, "I have to rest and tomorrow night I leave at first rising. Eric's smart. He's overcome a lot. It may take him some time, but I believe in him. He will regain himself and he'll remember the truth."

"And what's that?" Sookie asked.

"That he loves you," Pam smiled. "It breaks all the vampire rules, Sookie, but I know it's true."

Together, they walked back to the bedrooms. "Hope I see you before you go," Sookie sighed.

"You shouldn't," Pam answered. Glancing at the door of the room she shared with Maryann, she added, "Word of Appius' death will start circulating soon. There will be inquiries. Vampires are curious creatures, and everyone will want to know who killed The Roman. You need to get back into Niall's territory before someone remembers seeing you."

"Earlier? I went to the Queen's palace," Sookie confessed. "I talked with some guard and Wybert."

"And you asked about Eric," Pam confirmed. "They will put two and two together. That, combined with the rumors the witches started about you are going to make some people uneasy." Reaching into her pocket, Pam pulled out her phone. "I've had more communication with the Seelie in the past year than I've had in the rest of my existence!" she huffed. "There! Niall knows you're in trouble. When you rise tomorrow, you need to head home. He'll have someone waiting. If the witches weren't so worried about you, I'd suggest you have a ward placed."

Rather unexpectedly, Pam pulled Sookie into a hug. "I won't say it again, in fact, I'll probably say the opposite the next time it comes up, but I'm glad you killed him. He was a bastard and as long as he was walking, Eric was never really free. It may be hard for a while, but this really is the best thing for him."

"Take care of him," Sookie whispered.

"Of course!" Pam grinned. "Isn't that how it's supposed to be? When your Father becomes old and feeble, it's up to his children to take over and boss him around for a change?"

"Eric isn't feeble," Sookie giggled, but then she sobered. "I said some pretty harsh things to him. I gave him back his ring."

Pam kissed Sookie's forehead, and then lifted her left hand. "But not your pledging ring."

"No," and Sookie smiled at the plain red-gold band. "No, the ruby one."

"It will be all right," Pam assured her, and Sookie believed her.

As Sookie lay in bed, she could see the faintest line of grey light through the window. Dawn was coming and with it, new hope.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Probably for the best," Maryann sighed, giving in to Sookie's repeated assurances that she was fine to drive home. "Sounds like there's weather coming in." The morning radio show was full of predictions about a storm coming in off the ocean. There were high wind advisories and residents were being warned about power outages.

Down the hall, Pam was resting. "So, you're both good?" Sookie asked.

"Just another day in the life of living vampire," Maryann joked. Together, they walked out to Sookie's car.

"Thanks again for the clothes," and Sookie gestured at the warm shirt and pants she was wearing.

"No worries," Maryann grinned. "You have more chest than I do. My shirts look better on you!" As Sookie got in the car, Maryann stepped back, "Call me when you get there!"

"I will," Sookie promised, and she started the long drive back home. It was tempting, being this close to Slievemore. She wanted to drive through town, past Ghoul's Kiss, and the blue door of Goat House. She felt the need to see them, but her sense of self-preservation won out. The streets in town were narrow. Even though it was day, trouble might still find her, and it would be all too easy to hem her in, so, instead, Sookie turned right and headed down the road that would carry her back to her new home near Glenglas.

The sky hung, iron grey and threatening overhead. The occasional wind gust struck her car, forcing Sookie to compensate, a hint of what was to come. ' _Hope this holds off until I get there_ ,' Sookie thought. To get her mind off her troubles, Sookie thought about her house instead, running down the list of windows and doors, trying to remember if she'd latched them before she'd left.

The first raindrops hit her windshield as she turned into her driveway. Cresting the hill, Sookie saw Ian's car parked in the former barnyard. ' _Shit!_ ' Sookie swore. She'd forgotten to tell the Dayman she'd left, and now he was here.

There was a rumble of thunder overhead and the swift crack of lightning. Ian stepped out from the protection of the overhang that covered the doorway of the main house, and following him was Claude. "Shit!" Sookie swore again, this time out loud.

"Hello, cousin," Claude greeted, walking past Ian in his slow, graceful walk that reminded Sookie of a snake. "My, don't you look…" and he gave her a slow, assessing once-over leaving her wanting to hide herself. "Different," he finished, and Sookie's hands itched to slap the mocking smile from Claude's lips.

"I didn't know you knew this guy." Ian had walked up behind Claude. There was a hint of jealousy on the Dayman's face and Sookie cursed internally again. She'd done everything she could think of to discourage Ian's interest, but she could see it still wasn't enough.

At that moment, an actual wave of rain washed across the yard and Sookie looked skyward. "This is going to start any minute," she pointed out, and turned to grab her purse from the car. "I'll explain inside. I left in a hurry and I'm not sure what windows I left open. Come on!"

It was easier, stepping into action. It kept her mind from insisting on replaying last night's horror show or worrying about the one facing her here. She refused to make eye contact with either of the men as she unlocked the door. As she started to bound up the stairs she did glance. Claude was slinking through the front room and Ian was following him, practically bristling.

Once she finished the upstairs, she came back down. As she could have predicted, Claude and Ian were just standing there, eyeing each other. "I'm assuming you've taken the time to make introductions," she said by way of breaking the ice.

"I just got here before you pulled in," Ian pouted. "This guy," and he pointed at Claude, "was here when I arrived."

"Claude is my cousin," Sookie explained.

For a second, Ian looked less fractious, but Claude jumped right in, "Distant cousin. One might even say, kissing cousin."

"One might," Sookie snapped back, "If one was a redneck whose grandpa was their own uncle!" and Sookie cuffed Claude's shoulder as though they were old friends. "Stop making trouble, Cuz. Ian works for me as you doubtless know."

"Slievemore is a small town," Claude shrugged, making clear he did know, but was going to make trouble anyway.

"How come you never mentioned you were connected to Claude O'Hara?" Ian asked, using the last name all the Brigants used among humans. Ian's suspicious look had returned and Sookie sighed, thinking of how she'd explain this. It was inevitable Ian knew the identity of the supervising manager of Slievemore's largest hotels. It was Ian's job to know things. What hadn't occurred to Sookie until this moment was how well her vampire life, which included Ian, had been segregated from her Fae life, which didn't. Ian had met Claudine and doubtless knew Niall, at least by sight, but he was right. Sookie had not made clear her relationship to any of them.

"The fact I've never mentioned him should tell you everything you need to know," Sookie answered Ian before turning to her cousin. "Why are you here, Claude?"

"Grandfather sent me," he smiled. The dark-haired Fae had started drifting through the front rooms, touching things. "Nicely done," he complimented. "Those humans should feel welcome here," and then turning to Ian, smirked, "You do, don't you?"

Ian's eyes narrowed. Sookie felt the blush rush through her. She was pretty sure this was the first time Ian was hearing the rumors about Claude might be true, and she couldn't think of why the Fae was outing himself like this, but it left her dreadfully afraid Claude would be spilling her secrets next. "Please stop," Sookie scolded. "There is no need to be troubling any of us with your stories and legends."

"What? You haven't been entirely truthful with your Galahad? You haven't told him what we are?" Claude asked, his voice smooth as silk, but he didn't bother to hide his amusement at Sookie's discomfort. Turning to face Ian, he made a show of approaching. He almost glided in that graceful way that only the Fae could really accomplish. He didn't un-masque his face, but he let enough slip that his ears were revealed and the tilt of his eyes. "Surely, you didn't think vampires were the only fairytales who walked?"

Ian stood his ground, but when he glanced at her, Sookie could see something had changed. "I figured there might be something to the stories," the Dayman acknowledged. "Niall O'Hara doesn't look like anyone I went to Church with and Claudine…" and he flicked his eyes back to Claude.

"My sister," Claude acknowledged.

"Well, she is kind of a cut above," Ian nodded, catching up. "I guess I just didn't think you…" He looked at Sookie, and then his eyes dropped. He looked toward the door, "I should probably go out to the car and get the papers before the rain really gets started."

Claude barely waited for Ian to duck through the door before he said, "We could share him, Sookie. He has a beautiful ass. I'm sure you noticed. It's your weakness, isn't it? A well-formed ass?"

"I'm married," Sookie said coldly.

"Not in any way that matters," Claude teased. He ghosted closer to her. "Something's changed with you. Something profound. What was it, Cousin? Your magic is stamped on you." Claude picked up a tendril of her hair, twisting it between his fingers. "I find it quite appealing. When Grandfather asked me to step out here and keep an eye on you, I wasn't keen. I'm sure you can guess why, but now, I can see this assignment might be more pleasurable than I thought."

"In your dreams!" Sookie hissed. She was saved by Ian's return. She stepped away from Claude, saying, "I hope you'll both stay for lunch. I have plenty." She tossed the barn key to Ian. "Open up for me, would you? You know your way around."

"I do," he replied, catching it in mid-air. Yesterday, he would have shot her a jaunty grin, but today even this show of precedence didn't change the new look of wariness he gave her.

"Shall I stay and help you here?" Claude had used Sookie's interaction with Ian to move close to her. His intimate whisper in her ear startled her, making Sookie jump.

"No, thank you!" Sookie snapped. "Why don't you follow Ian? He's going to my living quarters. You can make yourself useful by checking my windows over there."

"Oh? And is that where I'll find your bedroom? Claude purred. "Why don't I start there? I'll bet you have an interesting underwear drawer." Claude smirked as turned. "I'd hurry if I was you. Wouldn't want me running my fingers through your panties unsupervised."

"Why? You planning on stealing a few pair to wear later?" Sookie called after him, wondering what her Grandfather could have been thinking to send Claude, of all people. Finding her purse, she pulled out her phone and texted Claudine.

' _Claude is charged with protecting you until we can put spells in place_ ,' the answer came back. ' _Don't' worry_.' But Sookie did worry. She didn't trust Claude.

When she finished checking window latches and making sure the heat was turned up enough to keep pipes from freezing, Sookie ran through the now pelting rain to the barn. Ian was getting the peat fire started and Claude was standing behind him, not bothering to hide the tent in his pants.

"Stop molesting Ian," Sookie scolded. "Did you check the windows, or did you decide ogling my Dayman was enough?"

"I checked some," Claude pouted.

Sookie walked over to Ian and leaned forward, meaning to place a hand on his shoulder. He must have guessed her intention because he stiffened, causing Sookie to pull back. She glanced at the table where the box of papers sat. "Why don't we go through those after lunch?" she asked, trying to make polite conversation.

"Or, we could have sex," Claude offered. Ian did glance up, surprised, and Claude started to lean forward, trying to capture the Dayman's eyes. Fortunately, Ian recognized the move and looked quickly away. Sookie watched as things seemed to click in place for Ian. He glanced at Claude the same way he glanced at vampires and his expression changed. His attitude toward her seemed restored as well.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm on duty," he informed Claude with a brief nod of his head. Looking squarely at Sookie, he asked, "Are you all right?" Sookie knew what he was asking.

"Having Claude here?" Sookie sniffed, jerking her chin toward the Fae. "I can handle him!" She didn't hide her relief at having things feel more normal with Ian. "Thank you," she added, meaning for more than one reason.

Standing up a little taller, Sookie managed a small smile. "Well, Claude, I think we've had enough harassment lessons for one day. Why don't I get lunch started? Ian, that fire is a great idea. It's chilly in here. Oh, and Claude? My windows! Chop, chop!" She clapped her hands for emphasis and for a minute, everything seemed under control.

There was ham in the refrigerator, so Sookie started chopping and mixing, making a ham salad for sandwiches. Outside the kitchen, she could hear the men bickering. Sookie assumed it was mere banter, but then, the voices escalated, and finally she walked back into the living area to see what was going on.

Claude had a fish in his hand and he was shaking it. When Sookie walked into the room, he turned on her. "Tell me! How long has this been going on?"

"Fish?" Sookie smirked. "I don't know! Since the dawn of time?"

"You bitch!" Claude screamed. He was on her in a minute, his hand closing around her throat. "How long?" he raged.

Ian was behind him, trying to pull his hands from her, but Sookie was sure no human would be able to stop Claude. For the second time in as many days, Sookie found herself facing death and for the second time, she felt her power gathering within her. She didn't need her Father to tell her what to do. There were bursts of light behind her eyes, the result of air deprivation, but Sookie didn't feel panic. Instead, she felt a deep, comforting certainty. The light was forming above her. It was almost there.

"Stop this!" Claude's hands released her.

' _Niall_ ,' Sookie thought. As if from another world, she heard her Grandfather ordering Claude from his sight. Ian had her hand and he was calling to her. His face was above her, and then Ian was replaced by her Grandfather.

"Come now," Niall Brigant soothed. "Put away your pretty toys and come sit with me." He turned, ordering Ian to make tea. After a minute he leaned closer, "I know you don't want to, but you must order it away."

Sookie looked past Grandfather. Her pillar of light was rotating slowly up against the ceiling. "Sure," she stammered, "Of course."

She let it dissipate, thread by thread, but somewhere deep inside, she didn't feel relief. Instead, she felt disappointment.

"


	53. Chapter 52 - Best Foot Forward

**Chapter 52 – Best Foot Forward**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

When Pam left Slievemore bound for Ballytyne and Eric, she wondered what she'd find. Based on what Sookie told her, Eric was still able to communicate. That was something. Before he'd freed her, Pam felt Eric's pain leaking through in a way that told her he was undergoing regular physical punishment. At the time, it shook her, but she knew it wasn't her place to interfere. "Bastard!" she swore softly, thinking of Appius.

Pam reached out again, probing what was left of the bond with her Maker. She found him, but barely. Since Eric freed her, their tie had become increasingly tenuous. It was still there, as it would be until the day one or the other of them ended, but it was more a feeling than the open river of emotion she had come to expect.

While Pam was ready for the severing and had been for some time, the reality of being freed left her feeling lonely. Some part of her yearned for the cozy intimacy she'd shared with Eric. Being bonded with Eric was like having your best friend with you always, ready to encourage or, at times, scold. Sometimes, Eric's willingness to question her, influencing her in such a direct way had been a pain in the ass, but now, Pam found she didn't regret a moment. She didn't want the bond back, particularly knowing Eric's opinion of Maryann, but, still, she missed the tie they'd shared. ' _Yearning for childhood_ ,' she mused.

The house was dark as she drove up the driveway. That wasn't a surprise. The open front door was. It wasn't like Eric to be so careless about such things and Pam took a moment to look around as she exited the car, checking for signs of danger. There were none. It was a quiet night and the stars shone overhead, bright in the cold air. Winter was near and with it, the cold damp that promised rain. Satisfied, Pam walked toward the front door.

He was inside. She could smell him, and it hit her again. She'd noticed it earlier, standing in the great hall of Sophie-Ann's court. She'd been placed on the dais, next to Wybert, a sign her first loyalty was now pledged to another. Appius had barely spared her a sneer and Eric hadn't looked her way at all.

Since the day of her making, Pam hadn't needed to see Eric to know where he was. The bond tied them together like magnets, moving each around the other, always aware. Tonight, Pam experienced the difference. It wasn't the bond that asserted itself, drowning out all her other senses. No, tonight, it had been the other way around. The smell of him, the sight of him, was stronger. She watched the proceedings as Appius cajoled, and then bullied the Queen into selling out Eric's contract. Any moment, she expected to feel her Maker's boredom, amusement, or anger, but there was nothing. It wasn't like those times he'd closed off the bond. Now, she had to search, and even when she finally found it, buried deep, what she felt was so thin as to almost be forgettable. Pam stepped in the front door, not bothering to look for the bond and simply called out, "Eric? It's Pam. I'm coming in."

Her sharp ears heard the shuffle. He was in the library off to the left. Pam closed the door, engaging the locks before joining him.

Eric sat in one of the large leather chairs, his elbows on his knees, his hands dangling. He was staring past her, in to that place Pam associated with Eric at his most troubled. Sookie's ring sat on the table beside him. Eric was covered with drying blood. It was so unlike him. It had been at least two hours since this happened, and Pam knew her Maker might act like a badass, but he was picky about being clean. It informed Pam more than words could. Eric might look calm, but underneath he was in turmoil.

Pam waited. He didn't look up at first. Instead, he whispered at last, "Gone."

"I know," Pam replied. "Sookie told me. I offer you my blood. You need to feed."

Now, Eric looked up, but just as quickly looked away, "No. His blood was the last to feed me. I can still feel him within me. If I feed from you I will no longer feel any part of him."

Pam approached, walking slowly as she said, "Eric, you're stressed. I can smell your hunger." When Eric still avoided making eye contact, Pam spoke more forcefully. "Starving yourself won't bring your Maker back, Eric. Think! You are all that's left of him now, his only progeny. It's not Appius' blood that's his legacy, it's you. You owe it to his memory to continue, to carry his line forward."

"You are also of his line," Eric said coldly.

"He didn't see it that way," Pam reminded her Maker. "Honor him by honoring the pride he took in creating you."

Eric turned his empty eyes back toward her and Pam knew she'd said the right thing. "He would wish to be honored," Eric nodded.

' _Damn skippy_ ,' Pam thought, glad in the moment that the bond between them was muted. She wasn't sure she could have hidden her contempt for Appius and it would have confused matters. Steadying herself, Pam schooled her face, and then her emotions. Once Eric fed, he would feel her as he would any donor. Pam knew that in his current state, Eric needed friendship, not judgment.

Pam held out her arm. He struck, and only then did she realize he was missing a fang. Pulling her arm back, she bit it herself, ripping a little to encourage the blood flow. As Eric fed, she stroked his head. The bond would have confirmed it, but Pam knew Eric well enough to recognize shock when she saw it. "Have you called anyone? A cleaner?" she asked.

Pam assumed she'd walked into a blood bath. True, she couldn't smell much blood in the house, but it didn't mean there wouldn't be death. She associated Appius with drained bodies and for good reason. She'd seen Appius' high spirits as he shepherded Eric from the Queen's Court earlier. She'd assumed he commanded Eric to pick up a plaything or two for their celebration of Eric's 'freedom.'

It was the Roman's habit, and everyone knew it. As she'd prepared to leave the Court, Pam overheard Andre talking with Sigebert and Wybert, warning them to prepare for human trouble, hissing that he hoped the Roman would show some discretion 'this time.' While waiting for Appius and Eric to arrive, Sophie-Ann told Pam Appius' refusal to live within the bounds of human rules was one of the many reasons the Queen hated him. "I know he's your Grandsire, but he is the reason people hunt us." Pam hadn't disagreed.

Eric detached, "No," he told her, wiping his lip. "No, there's no need." Pam's eyes narrowed, surprised.

What Pam wanted to ask was, ' _What was your Maker up to?_ ' but, instead, she asked, "Why don't you show me where he fell?" Eric gestured toward the room across the hall. When he didn't say anything, Pam asked, "Do you want me to collect his fangs first?" Fangs were the only thing that survived a vampire's final death. It was almost impossible to see them, lying atop the dust that had once been a vampire, even when the vampire had been your enemy, and not be affected. If she picked them up first, Pam hoped it would make it easier for Eric to collect himself.

"You can't," he whispered, and as he said it, a fine shudder ran through the Viking. "They're gone, he's gone. Everything…all gone." Eric hung his head then, and placing his hands over his face, he cried. His large frame shook, and Pam sat on the arm of the chair, wrapping her arm about his shoulder, offering what comfort she could.

When he calmed, Pam tried to run her fingers through his hair, but couldn't, the congealed blood making it a sticky mess. "You need to shower," she scolded. "You know you can't think when you're like this," and she pulled at his shirt. The blood had dried enough that it stuck, pulling at his skin underneath. When Eric didn't say anything, she added, "Do you want me to come with you?" Pam didn't think he'd want sex, but she knew Eric found comfort in the act. If it meant her Maker regained his footing, Pam would consider it time well spent.

"I thank you for the offer," Eric answered, "but, no." He stood, wiping at his face. Pam trailed him through the kitchen and back to the utility room. She thought of all the times they'd showered here in past, cleaning up after one job or another. As Eric shambled into the bathroom, Pam pulled open the cabinets, taking out towels and clothing. Once the water started to run, she walked back through the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, she found five bottles of TruBlood. The expiration dates were close, but they would do. Eric needed blood and until things settled and they'd agreed on their story, having anyone out here, even donors, was too great a risk.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

As the water hit him, Eric sighed. It was as if the blood rinsing from him took the hard edges from his memories down the drain with it. Appius gloating. Feeding his Master and then surrendering to him. Listening to Appius talk about how Eric going to America would be better for both of them. Boasting about the amount of money Robert paid for the arrangement.

Eric still felt the twisting in his stomach, knowing his Maker had sold him. There would be no honor in his life as Robert's consort. He was chattel, bought and paid. Appius had called Russia, putting his butterflies on speaker phone. He promised his harem he'd return soon, talking in his singsong voice, scolding the chattering idiots as they vied in their descriptions of how they were planning to please him. When Appius hung up, he sighed, and Eric felt how disappointed he'd been in the sex they'd had earlier. Eric shouldn't have cared, but he did.

Appius had been the first to feel Sookie's approach. He'd sat up, not bothering to buffer his anger. It was hard to feel her with the barriers Appius placed in the bond, but he had. Eric knew she was angry, but he had no way to warn her.

Still, he tried. That's when Appius hit him. He knocked him to the floor, sinking his fangs deep, purposely inflicting pain. Too late, Eric tried to control his reaction. Too late he realized Appius was using his pain to draw her in. She was close, in the driveway. He tried to warn her again, but stopped when Appius kicked him.

And she was there. She shone as bright as any fairy. The air practically crackled where she stood, but there was no scent. His Sookie had grown in her magic. He could see her Fae face as she headed for him. He'd tried to warn her with words, telling her to get out, but Appius was waiting. Eric struggled to get up, to defend her, but there hadn't been time. She'd struck her head and fallen unconscious.

That hadn't suited Appius. He'd kicked her once, screaming at her. Eric managed to make it to his knees, gathering himself to charge Appius. It was hard, defying his Maker, but Eric was driven by a deeper need, giving him a strength he didn't know he possessed. Appius must have realized his mistake because he stopped kicking Sookie and whirled, confronting Eric, accusing him of betrayal. For one moment, Eric thought his Maker would end him, but, instead, he nailed Eric in place, using the full weight of his power. Helpless, Eric watched Appius advance. He could do nothing to stop the beating and tearing, his Maker using Eric's pain to call Sookie back.

Her eyes opened. She told him she was thirsty. It didn't make sense. He begged, urging her to leave, to save herself. He prayed she would listen, leaving the way she came, but she didn't. She seemed to be trying to fight and, for one moment, Appius left. She could have fled, but she didn't. She foolishly stayed, and Eric knew it was her end.

Appius was back. He pinned Eric to the floor with a Maker's command. Eric fought, struggled, but he was losing blood. He was weakening, unable to stop his Maker from draining his mate. She was Suzanne and the twins who were his first meal and all the people he'd come to love and, despite the love he had to feel for Appius, he felt equal parts of hatred.

And then, something happened. Sookie made her column. It looked like the one he'd seen before, but soon enough, Eric realized it was different. The closest he'd seen to what she made tonight was on the hill last year with Claudine. The light in the column was darker, and the turning and twisting carried the echo of sound. Sookie's face no longer resembled the woman he knew. Her features were fixed, and he saw a skull form over her bones. Her eyes were hollows and her lips lifted in a rictus. Appius was screaming. He was trying to escape, but this creature who was no longer his Lover, held tight.

Appius had burned. It started from the inside out and Eric felt every second of it. It was like standing in the middle of a raging fire. It was how he'd imagined meeting the sun would be, but it wasn't quick. He'd called out to Sookie, begging her to stop, but she either didn't hear him, or didn't care.

The pain started to recede, something Eric now realized was Appius's receding life, when she'd severed the bond. It felt like someone running wires through his veins. There had been no place untouched. It hadn't burned but felt more like electric currents that itched and jumped through his body, picking and yanking until, abruptly, they were gone and along with them, all trace of the bond. In an instant, he'd lost them both and everything he'd known about himself for over a thousand years was gone as well.

"Gone," he said out loud, leaning his head against the shower wall, willing the warm water running down his back to calm him.

He thought of how she'd looked afterward, standing upright, her regular Fae features pulled back in place, although not quite hiding the monster that lay beneath. She'd come to him, pulling at him, telling him he was free. ' _Sookie_.' Her name sang inside him and he remembered how she'd looked as she held Appius tight: Death, staring at him from smiling eyes. Sookie, who wasn't Sookie anymore.

He couldn't think. The shattered bond ached and the empty hole his Maker left was starting to assert itself. He remembered she argued with him and all Eric could hear were Appius' words. She was trouble. Before her, his life made sense. It wasn't always easy, but since meeting her, his life was no longer his own. When he'd howled, the turmoil within him tearing him apart, she hit him. He'd snapped, convinced her actions confirmed every bad thing Appius said about her.

Only now, did other words leak through. ' _I never lost hope_ ,' she'd told him. ' _I love you_.' "Sookie," he moaned.

She'd returned his ring. He'd called her a mistake. She'd changed. He closed his eyes, willing his thoughts to stop. Somewhere, Pam waited. There was work to do. His Maker was dead. "I am Eric Northman," he said aloud, and turning off the water, he stepped out to rediscover who that might be.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Ready to walk me through what happened?" Eric's eyes flicked toward her. The shower and TruBlood seemed to have done their job. His eyes were darting around as he became the scheming, angry Eric Pam knew. Angry Eric wasn't easy, but he was easier than the lost, hollow creature she'd found earlier. Angry Eric brooded, and his mood was changeable, but this brand of volatility Pam could deal with. The self-loathing vampire from earlier tonight was someone Pam had never met before and he frightened her.

Eric sniffed and leaned back. He'd resumed his position, sitting in the library chair. Even though he was in almost in the same position he'd occupied when Pam first arrived, the attitude of his slouch was markedly different. "I can remember each word on each page," he mused, "but I still want the feel of the book in my hand. Why is that?"

"It's a different kind of comfort," Pam shrugged, cataloguing the room. "Your books aren't lost, you know. They're just packed. I could send for them if you wish. They'd be here by tomorrow night," and Pam gestured at the empty bookcases. As her eyes swept back his way, Pam realized Sookie's ring wasn't on the table any more.

"No need," Eric answered. "I don't intend to remain here." He cocked an eye her way and said in a voice that sounded more like himself, "Thank you, Pam."

Pam knew what was expected. They'd played these roles many times before. Tilting her head and checking her hip, she slipped into official mode, listing off the things they needed to address. Official paperwork needed to be filed, but neither of them had a laptop. It took a minute for Pam to recognize what seemed wrong and then it hit her. Eric hadn't pulled out his phone.

"It went with Appius," he said shortly when she asked.

"Then, that's first," she answered, her fingers a blur as she ordered him a replacement. "I think we can wait on filing the death certificate until tomorrow night." Eric was watching her, and Pam knew what he was thinking. Once notice of Appius' death was registered, there would be an avalanche of reaction. Appius had been the oldest of their kind, save one. It didn't matter that Appius wasn't liked, he was a walking legend and his passing was news. Everyone would want to know the story. Friends and strangers alike would ask to see Appius' fangs, demanding that Eric, as Appius' progeny, tell the tale. "Have you decided what you're going to use as cause of final death?"

Eric stood and Pam followed him back into the living room. "An accident," he answered.

They walked through the doorway and Eric jerked his chin toward the area in front of the fireplace. The furniture there was tossed about, chairs tilted and the rug pushed to one side. There was blood on the rug and spatter on the furniture. Closer to the door where Eric had fallen, a fair-sized puddle of blood was congealing on the floor and Eric's scent hung heavy in the air.

Pam walked toward to the fireplace, sniffing, trying to detect what other scents would be discovered by investigators if they came to call. She found Sookie, although not as clearly as she'd anticipated, and of Appius, nothing at all. ' _Never existed_.' The thought sprang into her mind and she felt a fine shudder run through her. "I thought you said you didn't clean," she pressed.

"I didn't," Eric confirmed. He stood where Pam assumed he'd been damaged. His eyes were fastened on a spot near her feet and he was jiggling something in his pocket. His eyes rounded and he started to resemble that lost vampire again.

' _Better nip this in the bud!_ ' Pam thought, and using her most sarcastic tone, drawled, "Then I don't understand, Eric. You say it was here, but there's no sign of him? What will people say? You going to say it was magic? Sookie…"

"Keep her out of this!" Eric hissed. "No one needs to know she was here!" His fang and a half had dropped, and he winced. Pam winced as well. She knew she'd have to extract the broken tooth for him if it was to grow back properly and it was a job she wasn't looking forward to performing.

"Fine!" she snapped back, using Eric's anger to keep him focused. "We keep Sookie out of the report, but that doesn't mean I don't deserve the truth!" Pointing at the floor at her feet, she said, "How?"

He pulled himself straighter and made a point of looking at her face. "She was something else, something new. Appius had her by the neck. I was powerless…" and his jaw clenched. His shoulders tensed and Pam could see his hands fist in his pockets. "She used magic, new magic. When she was done, he was gone."

Pam looked back at the floor at her feet. Around this area the floor had all the normal marks of wear and tear, but here, the wood floor looked brand new. The varnish shone, making the area stand apart from the wood floor around it.

"Where's his dust, Eric?" Pam asked. "His fangs? Did you pick them up?"

"There was nothing to retrieve," Eric said and his words ended in a growl. "Gone!" and Pam watched Eric's mood erupt in anger. "Sookie destroyed everything!" He started to stalk back and forth, his jaw working. "She left nothing of him, not even the fangs that made me."

' _Better head him off before he gathers steam_ ,' Pam thought. She planted her feet and cocked her head, "So, what are you telling me, Eric? Am I supposed to believe after she ended Appius, Sookie went out to the garage and got her dustpan and broom? I know you think she's obsessed with cleaning, but really?" Eric stilled, and she saw his mouth work. Pam was pretty sure Eric trying to cover a smile, so she piled it on.

"What next?" Pam allowed the sarcasm to drip, "Are you going to tell me she grabbed a hammer and smashed his fangs before pulling out the vacuum?"

A full-blown smile was hovering on Eric's mouth, but Pam could see the moment he caught himself, "Enough!" and Eric pulled himself together. "Sookie is not what she appears. She…she was hiding something. She tricked me! She tricked us all. Appius knew what she was and now he has met his end, and we will all find ourselves in trouble because of her!"

Pam's grin disappeared. "But that's not how you want to report it, is it? I get it. She's to blame, but you don't really want to call Sookie out, do you?"

"No," Eric sighed, and his shoulders fell. His fangs retracted with a click and Pam saw him wince again. Turning, he stalked back into the library, throwing himself back in to his chair. "How can I continue to worry about her?" he said aloud. "She killed my Maker. What kind of Child protects a person like that?"

Pam followed him. "I've never heard of magic strong enough to destroy a vampire."

"No one has," Eric agreed. "Niall may know what it is, but it's like nothing I've ever seen. There was no sound, no smell, but he burned, Pam. He burned and she smiled."

"Good," Pam nodded, and when Eric exclaimed, she added, "Don't expect me to be sorry that The Roman is gone. I'm grateful to Sookie."

"For what?" and Eric's anger was back. He hunched forward, gripping the arms of the chair, "Why would you be grateful to her? She destroyed my Maker!"

"She found a way to save you," Pam explained. "Eric, you need to accept that Appius hated you. I don't know what he shared through your bond, but you need to come to terms with it. When did he ever do anything to help you?"

"He made me!" Eric snarled.

"So what?" and Pam leaned forward, touching her Maker. "You were made for this life, Eric, but any vampire could have brought you over. What you are, who you are, is not because of Appius Livius Ocella. You are the vampire you were born to be, in spite of that old bastard, not because of him!"

"And what about my duty to my Maker? I should forget it? Is that how you feel about the duty you owe me?" Eric glared at her. "What honor would I have if I was willing to curse my own sire? What kind of child doesn't mourn the death of his father?"

"The kind whose father was The Roman," Pam replied. That's when she noticed it. "Where's your bond with Sookie? Why don't I smell it?"

"Sookie destroyed it, too," he answered. Eric couldn't help himself. He found himself searching for it, probing in the same way he kept running his tongue over his missing tooth. He knew he shouldn't miss it, shouldn't miss her, but he did.

"I don't believe It!" Pam protested. "Nothing can destroy that kind of bond, only final death. Maybe it's blocked. It could be the shock of everything that's happened has created some temporary impediment, but I'm sure it will return."

"Sookie destroyed it," Eric repeated, thinking of how he'd felt when it pulled from him, thread by thread. "She burned it, the same way she burned Appius, from the inside out." Eric looked back toward the living room, "Appius was right. I make a bad habit of impossible relationships. I shouldn't stray from our way. I shouldn't have agreed to take her. She was a mistake and it's cost me everything."

"I don't think you really believe that," Pam pressed.

"I'm not sure what I believe any more," Eric answered, and he looked almost grey with exhaustion, all the fight drained away.

Pam walked him downstairs to his chamber under the stairs. Without a word, she changed the soiled sheets on the bed and when the room was tidy, she pushed Eric toward the bed, tucking him in as she would a child. "I'm going back to Slievemore tonight. You'll be here when I return tomorrow?" she asked.

"Are you sure your human will let you come back?" he sneered. It was a petty thing to say. Pam could see he felt her hurt, her motions laid bare through her blood. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "Appius used to do that, use his words to hurt. I'm sorry I did that to you."

"You're tired," Pam replied. "Rest, Eric. Let your body heal. Perhaps you should feed again?" and Pam lifted her arm to bite it herself.

"No," and Eric restrained her. "No. Tomorrow, we can arrange donors. I will have a plan by then."

Pam kissed Eric's forehead as she would a child. As he slipped into downtime, she watched him reaching out. ' _Sookie_ ,' she thought. He realized what he'd done and rolled to face the other side. He brought his knees up, curling around his pillow and in a second, the great Eric Northman was gone. It was the first time Pam could recall her Maker falling into his day death before her and it made Pam sad.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

The garage door was open when Pam returned the next night and the scent of smoke lay heavy in the air. It was damp, and Pam wondered how much gasoline it had taken for Eric to burn to rug. ' _Smells like things are back to normal_ ,' she thought. The idea Eric was back to scheming made her feel better, but on finding Eric back in the library, Pam's optimism faded.

He was sitting in pretty much the same slouched position he'd assumed yesterday, staring moodily at his empty bookcases.

"I meant what I said," Pam told him, throwing her jacket over the back of the companion chair. "Ian can have them all back here tonight. I'll even have him unpack the boxes."

"I thought Ian would be working for someone else by now," Eric answered.

"Good help is hard to find," Pam shrugged. "He does jobs for me and Sookie keeps him pretty busy."

Eric looked as if he was going to say something, but then changed his mind. "I don't intend to stay here very long," he replied. It was what he'd said last night, and Pam thought he meant keeping the house in Ballytyne. But then he said, "I expect to leave Ireland soon." Before she could ask, he gave her a smile, and held out his hand, "You wouldn't think something that tactile would be so important," letting her know he was talking of his books again.

She could see him, the old Eric. He hovered just at the edges, a quick smile, a brighter eye. He winced again, and Pam sighed. "Let's get this over with. You have pliers in the back?"

"Nothing has moved," Eric nodded.

"Let's go into the garage," and Pam walked toward the utility room. The drawer holding their interrogation tools was hidden under the false bottom of a clothing drawer. Eric was behind her, pulling off his clothes and together they headed into the garage.

A vampire's fangs were extraordinarily sensitive. As sharp as razors, they could detect every nuance in their host's state. Stroking fangs was guaranteed to get a positive reaction. Punching fangs got a reaction as well. "We'll call for donors after this," Pam said, trying to keep her emotions in check. She knew how an extraction felt and that knowing made her cringe.

Eric threw her a weak smile before leaning against the trunk of the car and opening his mouth.

She was fast, but something like this was never fast enough. Eric roared and a string of words followed. Most, Pam recognized. Eric had an inventive vocabulary when it came to swearing and he was exercising it now. _'I would, too_ ,' Pam thought as she dropped the tooth in the trash. 

As he headed back to the shower, Pam pulled out her phone. "Calling for those donors. I'll make sure they don't mind the knife." The tooth socket would heal, but in Eric's stressed condition, it might not close as quickly as it would when he was fully himself. Having a donor willing to be cut would make feeding easier.

Pam walked back into the living room. Things had been set to rights. There was even a different rug covering the odd patch in the floorboards. Pam walked back and forth, trying to catch odd scents, but there were none. Eric had done well.

"I've been thinking about the story," he said as he joined her.

"You probably shouldn't have done this," Pam replied, indicating the room. "Appius' death is a big deal. Andre will want to send one of his Sheriffs. He'll want an official report."

"I was the Sheriff," Eric growled. "I taught those puppies!"

"You know what I'm saying," Pam huffed. "I'm not saying Sophie-Ann won't be throwing a little party with her friends, but she'll still feel obligated to complain." Pam shrugged, "If you'd play by the rules, she might even reinstate you."

"I don't wish to be reinstated," Eric replied, moodily.

He stared at her and Pam stared right back. When time stretched, she decided to let it drop, "You said one of the bedrooms upstairs is light tight?"

Eric almost cut her off, his answer came so quickly, "No!" but then, he looked guilty and amended his statement, "Yes, to the left of the stairs. I…" and Eric's jaw worked.

"What is it?" Pam couldn't imagine what was grinding him, but it was clear something was.

"I planned on destroying that bed tonight," Eric said shortly.

Pam knew the story of the bed. It was specially made for Sookie and Eric as a pledging gift by Niall Brigant. Pam had seen it. The posts were carved to have the slightest curve and the canopy floated above it. "You know Niall," she scolded. "He may decide destroying his gift is an insult. You know how sensitive they are about those things."

"I don't want it here!" Eric growled.

"Destroying the bed won't make Sookie go away," Pam guessed, and the quick curl of Eric's lip told her she'd guessed right. "She wanted to come with me tonight," Pam continued. "I told her I didn't think it would be a good idea."

"She was the bad idea," Eric sniffed. "Now, it's over. This loss has taught me a valuable lesson. I will stick to my own kind."

Pam tried not to snort, but it was hard. "I'm putting my things upstairs, Eric. When I come back, you can tell me the official story we're filing. I called for donors from the palace. It won't take long."

When Pam rejoined him, Eric was ready. "We'll say it was an accident," he told Pam. "We'll say the place was unfamiliar. He tripped and was impaled on a broken chair."

Pam laughed, "An inglorious end to an inglorious bastard!"

Eric growled, and Pam stopped laughing. When she looked sufficiently chastened, Eric nodded, "Simple is sometimes better."

"What about Sookie?" Pam asked. "The palace knows she was looking for you. Apparently, she went there first. She said she talked with a guard and Wybert. They'll remember."

He dropped his eyes. Pam knew he was running scenarios through his head. Usually he was still during these times, but tonight, he was playing with something in his pocket. After a minute, he nodded before saying, "There's no proof she came here. We can just say she gave up and went to Slievemore."

"No one who knows her will believe that," Pam replied, but when Eric looked rebellious, she added, "Someone may ask her to corroborate. You'll have to tell her so she's ready."

"You do it!" Eric snapped, then moderating his tone, added, "I'm done with the Seelie. I'm leaving Ireland and I don't intend to return."

"And where will you go?" Pam asked, but then, she stilled. Outside, the sound of car wheels on driveway was clear. The donors had arrived.

They were both female, although their driver was male. Eric pushed the blond toward Pam before taking the brunette by the hand. Pam knew he was making a point by taking her upstairs, but they returned too soon for there to have been much more than feeding going on. After the donors left, Eric grumbled, "She smelled off."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," Pam shrugged. "That's something you should save for your wife."

Eric looked guilty. It wasn't a good look on him. "Another loose end!" he growled.

Pam straightened the runner on the table in front of her, making of point of not making eye contact as she said, "Not to Sookie."

"Enough!" Eric roared. "No more!"

Pam stared at him, his burning eyes and broken fang. It hurt her heart. "Fine," she nodded. It only took a minute to retrieve her laptop and establish a link using her phone's hotspot. "Let's get started."

It took two tries to file the death notice. They were on a call with Mr. Cataliades when the call from the Queen's Court came through. "Andre," Pam hissed.

Eric nodded before continuing his conversation with Desmond Cataliades. "No, I don't know the identity of my Maker's attorney."

"I will look into it," the attorney assured them. Eric considered taking the phone off speaker and walking into the other room, but then he decided against it. Pam would find out anyway.

"My Maker may have recently filed paperwork. He told me he concluded arrangements for my joining with another."

"I will be discrete," the attorney guessed. "You have my email. I will need your statement authorizing me to act on your behalf. Once I locate his attorney, confirming your status as heir under his will should be a formality."

"Who?" Pam asked as soon as the line ended.

"Robert," Eric told her.

"Fuck a zombie!" Pam hissed, and then, just as quickly, "You wouldn't!"

"If there is a contract, I am bound as the child of my Maker to honor it," Eric answered. Eric's hand closed around the ring in his pocket. His feelings for Sookie made no difference. If the contract existed, he would divorce her. He would go to America and pledge as his Maker wished. He would do his duty.

"Let's call Andre," Pam sniffed. Her mind raced. She knew Eric. He was too proud. Even if it killed him, he would do what he felt was the right thing. ' _Fucking Appius!_ ' she growled inwardly. She had no doubt the paperwork binding Eric existed. Appius was nothing if not thorough.

' _Poor Sookie_ ,' she thought, handing the phone over to Eric, but, even as she sat back, listening to the Queen's Second insist on coming to the house to see where 'the great one' fell, a plan started to form.


	54. Chapter 53 - By Any Other Name

**Chapter 53 – By Any Other Name**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Niall offered his hand to help Sookie off the floor. She half-expected him to pull her into a hug, kissing her, and making her feel better as he had in past, but he didn't. Instead, he touched the back of her arm, signaling she should precede him to the table. She'd started to shake. It wasn't much, a tremor really, and she pressed her fingers to the tabletop, forcing them to still.

Niall glanced up to what was now just the ceiling before seating himself. His tone was grave as he said, "Something has happened to you, Sookie. I think you should tell me about it."

Sookie found herself staring into her Grandfather's eyes. The flashing green light within them, drawing her and, in an instant, she was back at Ballytyne. She gasped as Eric's pain knifed through her. Her hand flew to her breast as the room around her melted away. Eric was on the ground, his eyes closed. Appius was at her neck, humming, as he bit deeper and she realized the crunching noises were him, killing her. She remembered her Father's smile and the way the Monster's flat, black eyes widened. He'd looked surprised when her light took him, and she remembered how good his fear felt. Appius' face melted to Claude's face and she felt her smile stretch wider.

"Enough!" Niall's command startled her, and she was back in the dining room of her home near Glenglas, staring into her Grandfather's troubled eyes.

"I killed him," Sookie stammered, and she no longer felt smart or strong. Instead, the enormity of her actions engulfed her, twisting at her emotions.

"I saw," Niall acknowledged. After a moment, he placed his hand over hers. "It was a clean kill and righteous. No one will dispute your actions and I will attest to the circumstances." He cocked his head to the side, "But, I can tell this troubles you."

"I'm so sorry!" It burst out. Sookie did feel regret. Good girls didn't kill people, even evil, old vampires.

"You are wasting sentiment on the Roman," Niall chuckled. "No one will miss his passing." When Sookie didn't brighten, he patted her hand. "It will become easier," he told her, which didn't make her feel better, until it did. "He was what you called him, Sookie, a monster. The world is a better place without Appius Livius Ocella and no one will mourn him," but then Niall's eyes pressed her, "except his child."

' _Eric!'_ and Sookie's mouth dried. She thought of Eric's face, his words. "We fought," Sookie swallowed, and the tears she thought she'd finished came back. "He was so angry! He called me a mistake."

"Then Northman is a fool," her Grandfather replied. He seemed to think that resolved things because he turned, staring out into the night. He seemed lost in thought, his fingers automatically stroking hers. "Your path is not the one I foresaw for you," he said after a bit. "It is clearer now, and I am relieved at last you have established your place among us."

When he didn't seem inclined to say more, Sookie hissed. "I'm so tired of riddles! Just tell me what's happening to me!" Tears still stained her cheeks, her sadness replaced by anger, and the now familiar surge of magic started building in her chest.

"Stop that at once!" Niall ordered, His eyes flared in that peculiar way that told her she was only seeing the masque he chose to show. "Sookie, you must learn to control yourself!" he scolded.

Sookie was sick of it, the half-answers and convenient support. Her inner voice whispered she didn't have to accept these platitudes any more. ' _Force him to tell you!'_ the new voice whispered. ' _He's no different than the rest!_ '

"Is that truly what you wish?" Niall asked, and Sookie flushed, realizing he'd heard her inner thoughts as clearly as if she'd said them aloud. "Is this the woman you wish to embrace?" and Niall waved a little, causing the air in front of her to become a mirror.

Sookie was confronted by the woman she'd seen in Ballytyne, her hair floating and her features shadowed by something she didn't want to acknowledge. It was as if cold water was thrown on her and she cried out, "Grandfather!"

"There, there," he whispered, and Sookie knew she had come back to herself. She was regular Sookie, the woman from America who was opening a B&B and doing other people's books. "Now you know what to look for, Sookie, and you must work to keep that part of you under control," Niall told her.

It was in the way he said it that let Sookie know her Grandfather knew more than he was saying. "You know what's happening to me," she confronted him. "Please, tell me. I need to know."

The Fae King stared and Sookie felt judged, but not in a bad way. "I should have recognized the signs when the Leann Sidhe sought you out, but I wanted to believe she was part of the ill wish that followed you." Niall leaned in and pulled her toward him. It seemed only natural to flow forward, curling into the Fae King's lap. As it always did, the physical contact with her Grandfather dissolved any lingering anger or bitter grief, replacing those emotions with a sweet sense of well-being Sookie most associated with being in contact with the Seelie.

"Yes," Niall crooned, "Calm yourself, Sookie. You will always have a place among the Seelie, both in your mortal form and beyond. You are truly becoming a part of our world now and no one will ever be able to take it away from you again."

"What am I becoming?" Sookie asked.

"A Leann Sidhe," Niall told her. "A banshee."

"What? Do I have to?" Sookie sniffed.

"It isn't your choice," Niall shrugged. "It is a gift that's found you."

Sookie thought of the ghostly Leann Sidhe who'd confronted her in Killary. Sookie's hand had passed through her and Sookie had felt the bone-chilling cold of the woman's touch. "I don't want to be like that!" she gasped. "I don't want to be some ghost!"

"But Granddaughter," Niall protested, "you said you wished immortality. As a banshee, you will have that. When your mortal life ends, you will continue, ever powerful, all knowing."

"A ghost!" Sookie protested. "When I said it I meant like this," and she pinched the skin on her arm, "with Eric, forever!"

"But not a vampire." Sookie could hear the scolding tone in her Grandfather's voice. "You will be transformed. You will realize your wish and still, you aren't satisfied."

"But, why me?" Sookie whined.

"It's not known how banshees are chosen, my Sookie, and yet, they endure." Niall sighed. Sookie thought of her Grandfather as being only slightly taller than herself, but somehow, he seemed much larger as he held her. "Perhaps you were chosen because of the magic that surrounds you. It is only right you should be magical. There is the heritage you have from me, and there's your vampire's blood."

"I don't know if he'd say he's 'my' vampire anymore," Sookie sighed. Scolding herself, she added, "And then, there's my Grandmother. The woman who knew her in Minnesota said she was a witch. She called me a witch, too."

"Being spelled doesn't make you a witch," Niall scoffed. Sookie glanced up and recognized the jut of her Grandfather's lower lip. It seemed she wasn't the only one who was stubborn, and she'd already realized Niall's blind spot when it came to Adele.

From out of nowhere, Sookie shivered, and when her Grandfather questioned it, she gave him the truth. "I'm afraid."

"There's no need," Niall soothed her. "Still, this is a dangerous time for you," and Niall shifted so he could look in her eyes. "You have manifested your powers early. You must be careful or you may find calling forth your magic becomes too easy. These kinds of power can be addicting…" and then Niall looked away, his voice trailing off.

"What is it?" Sookie asked.

"It's just…" and Niall smiled. "I've not heard of a banshee who is able to manifest so many gifts. You mimic us all, you have an affinity for nature," and he shook his head. "But the death's head upon you is unmistakable. Banshees are those who deal with death and you, my Granddaughter, have that power."

"I don't deal in death," Sookie protested.

"But, you bring it," Niall retorted, and then his mouth pursed a bit, a sharp line appearing between his eyebrows as he thought. After a bit, he shifted her, "You must bow to your fate, Granddaughter," Niall told her. "We have not had a new banshee among us in longer than I can remember. This transformation will be taken as a sign of hope by all the Fae."

Sookie didn't think growing old and becoming a banshee sounded all that hopeful. She didn't care what her Grandfather said, the only fate she wanted was the one Eric whispered in her ear as he held her in the park in Slievemore, the one where they were fated to end up together.

"I appreciate you're trying to make this sound wonderful," Sookie said levelly, "but there's only thing I really want and that's my husband."

Niall snorted, "If that's the case, why are you teasing Claude?"

Now it was Sookie's turn to be taken aback. "I wasn't!" she exclaimed. Swiping at her cheeks, Sookie scrambled from Niall's lap, settling back in the chair next to him. "I don't like Claude! In case you forgot, he was trying to strangle me! He hates me and I'm pretty close to feeling the same way about him. The last thing I'd want to do is tease him. I wouldn't care if I ever saw him again!"

The tea kettle chose that moment to whistle, and Sookie found herself remembering Ian was right next door, listening to all of this. Sookie felt her cheeks burning and she felt a twinge of something that might have been magic gather in her chest. "Don't worry!" Niall assured her, "Your Dayman is blissfully unaware. He's dreaming of women and sunshine and when I release him, he'll drive home and have no recollection of this day or anything that was said."

Niall pushed back his chair and walked toward the doors that led to Sookie's back deck. The rain still fell, beating against the glass. The cod Claude had been holding lay on the floor. It wasn't gasping or wriggling anymore and there was a slight puddle around it. "Claude doesn't hate you," Niall said, toeing the fish. "He's jealous. His Father told me, but I didn't believe he could be so affected. Still, I wouldn't have thought of you as someone willing to goad him this way. It shows a new cruelty in you, Sookie, a cruelty worthy of the Fae."

"I wasn't being cruel to Claude!" Sookie huffed. "He started in on me the minute he showed up. He said all kinds of nasty things and he said he wanted sex…"

"You see?" Niall said, suddenly beaming. "You were misinterpreting. Your cousin was being hospitable."

"You don't understand!" Sookie protested. "I'm telling you, he was being nasty. You can pull it out of my head if you don't believe me. He's nice only until he can figure out some way to be a jerk! He did it with Breandan and he still does it, now that I'm with Eric."

"He doesn't like Northman," Niall conceded. "He has stolen the Northman's companions in past, but surely, he wouldn't try something like that with you." Niall appeared satisfied with his own conclusion, because he scolded, "Still, flaunting his loss in front of him was cruel," and Niall toed the fish.

"How can a fish be cruel?" Sookie asked. She grabbed a napkin from the table and threw it on the floor to soak up the water.

"Are you meaning to take him back?" Niall asked.

Sookie wasn't sure she was following. "Eric?" she asked. "I already told you! Of course!"

"Not Northman," Niall countered, and his eyes remained on the fish. "Breandan! How long has he been visiting you?"

"He hasn't!" Sookie protested, and something started to come together. "I thought the fish came from Moira," Sookie gasped. "I mean, I've seen Moira since we stopped training and I gave the merrows permission to use the tunnel under Goat House. I just assumed she was repaying the favor."

"Don't be stupid!" Niall hissed, and his eyes flashed in that dangerous way. "Merrows are tricksters, not lovers! This is a courting gift. Surely you couldn't be so naïve!"

"Courting gift? That's crazy! It's a fish!" and Sookie found herself staring at the fish as well. After a bit, Sookie sighed. She looked out at the storm raging outside her doors, "Okay, maybe I thought he might be out there. There's a lot of seals here, Grandfather, but I really didn't make the connection between these fish showing up and Breandan."

"So, he's brought you other gifts, before this one?" and with a wave of his hand, Niall sent the fish outside. Sookie could see it's form at the far end of her deck, the rain beating down on it.

"There have been other fish," Sookie nodded. "A couple…three…" Sookie sniffed. "You're sure it's from Breandan?"

"Aren't you?" Niall asked and Sookie realized she was. In fact, she felt foolish for not seeing it before. With eyes wide open, she understood why her Grandfather was suspicious and she wondered at her own motivations. Giving her a deliberate stare, he asked, "Did you eat them?"

"Yes," Sookie answered, feeling her face flush again as Niall clucked his tongue in disapproval.

"Have you learned nothing of our ways, Granddaughter? You, of all people, should know what it means to eat the food of the Fae! These aren't your Seelie relatives, Sookie, they're selkies and merrows. Breandan would be right to see this as encouragement. You do know by eating the food he provides, it allows him to track you? Surely, you knew that?"

Sookie felt the air rush from her lungs. She felt at once stupid and foolish. "I didn't," she confessed. "I mean, I know eating Fae food is tricky. It's just, I don't know why it didn't occur to me. I've been so worried…" and a tear sprang from nowhere, falling down her cheek.

"And, I suppose you've found yourself standing at the water's edge, crying your tears." Niall handed her a handkerchief. He didn't look amused as he shook his head. "I know you say you want the vampire, but perhaps you should reconsider. It isn't too late. Breandan clearly wants you back. Your transformation into a banshee would be overcome by another. You could assume seal form if you joined him. He has pledged to their King and must remain among them for a hundred years, but at the end of it, you could regain human form from time to time, if you wished."

"I'm married to Eric," Sookie protested. "I don't want to change that. I don't want Breandan or Claude or anyone else." Beside her, Sookie could see her Grandfather nod at their reflections in the glass. Together, they stood, watching the rain. After a flash of lightning, Sookie asked, "What did you mean about my tears?"

"A sad woman who spills seven tears at the ocean's edge, calls a selkie," Niall told her. "They are attracted, compelled actually, to try and comfort her." Sookie remembered that day in Boston harbor again, and how she'd cried as she stood on the rock. It had been just before she saw the seal.

"Does that always happen?" she asked.

"For those like you who have our blood? Yes," her Grandfather answered, and Sookie wondered if all of this; Breandan and Ireland and Eric, were because she'd cried on a boating trip one afternoon long ago. Then just as quickly, she dismissed the notion. She knew her path to this place had started long before Boston, with the first time her Father showed her how to spin light, and on a foggy field in Pennsylvania. It had been her Grandfather who found her then, although he had taken on the appearance of a young man.

"When you found me in Pennsylvania, did you know this was how things would turn out?" Sookie asked.

"In its entirety? No," her Grandfather answered, "but I hoped." He turned and Sookie saw Ian standing next to the kitchen door. She had no idea how long he'd been standing there, holding the tray with the teapot and tea things, but it must have been a while. His arms were shaking and there was sweat on his brow, but his eyes were somewhere far away, dreamy and blank. Shooting Sookie a quick smile, Niall drawled, "We would like our tea served in the front parlor," using the same tone he would for any servant.

Ian walked forward, the tea tray balanced in his hands. "You're going to release him, right?" Sookie asked. She liked Ian and seeing him this way made her anxious.

Niall watched as Ian executed the pouring out as neatly as any butler. "If Northman doesn't return, this one wouldn't be a bad choice," he shrugged. "He's handsome in a human way. He would be devoted to you and malleable. He appears vigorous and would allow you to live your own life."

"You don't think Eric is going to return to me, do you?" Sookie sighed.

"I think of all your choices, Northman is the best," Niall replied, "but there are some things even I can't fix. I know he's attached to you, but there may be circumstances that present too much of an impediment to overcome."

"Like what?" Sookie asked.

"I couldn't say," Niall shrugged, "but I know your vampire leads a complicated life. In the end, you may decide it's too complicated for you. Still," and Niall's head cocked to the side, "if this could be arranged, Northman remains the best of your choices. He tolerates other species and I hear from my friends in Sophie-Ann's court he's been freed of all obligations. Perhaps he would be open to a monetary arrangement…"

"What are you talking about?" Sookie hissed. She found herself glancing at Ian again. She wasn't sure what her Grandfather was saying, but she felt embarrassed by it. "Eric is my husband! I'm not sure what you'd have to pay him for…not to mention, I have plenty of my own money. So does Eric…"

"Of course, you're right!" Niall nodded as if she was giving him new information, "Now that the old Roman's dead, Eric is likely wealthier than any of us. That may not work in our favor."

"Stop!" Sookie begged. "What are you suggesting? Why would any of this involve money?"

"You killed his Maker," Niall said reasonably. "That's a blood offense. On the other hand, you are his mate, so to take revenge against you is also a blood offense; however," and Niall smiled his sly smile, "if he were hired as a mercenary to protect you, it would be a business arrangement. With the right contract, it would take precedence over retribution and honor would be served."

"So, you're saying the only way to get him back is to pay him?" Sookie asked. She didn't bother hiding her tone. "Of all the things you could have said to hurt my feelings, this might be the worst." Niall gave her a stern look, but Sookie suddenly felt her exhaustion. "He is my husband," she said again. "I love him, but if the only way he'd be with me now is because I paid him? I'm sorry, but my pride has limits."

"You're tired," Niall shushed. "Night has fallen and you've had a hard day. I will sleep here and tomorrow, we will talk some more."

Sookie thought about the sleeping accommodations. Across the barnyard was a house full of beds, but to get there, Niall would have to walk through rain and sleep in a large, empty house. Here, there was only the large attic bed sitting in the corner bedroom. She glanced up and her eyes settled on Ian. "Fuck a zombie!" she exclaimed, using Pam's favorite saying. "I forgot all about Ian!"

Niall chuckled as he released her Dayman. Sookie didn't know what her Grandfather whispered, but Ian looked happy. He waved to her and told her he'd be back next week, as if he hadn't lost any time at all.

As she watched Ian drive away, her stomach rumbled. "I don't have much, but I think I can pull together some dinner," Sookie offered her Grandfather.

"It would give me great pleasure to watch you cook," Niall answered. There were a couple bottles of wine and Sookie started with those. She whipped up omelets and toasted some stale bread. After the second bottle of wine, the informality and lack of dessert no longer mattered. While she washed dishes, Niall opened her freezer.

"Fish!" he exclaimed. With a wave of his hands, all the frozen packages were gone.

"Hey!" Sookie cried out, then remembered all the reasons fish was off the menu. "Whoops! she giggled. ' _You're drunk!_ ' she thought, but she couldn't stop laughing. Waving her fingers, she called out, "Never mind!"

It seemed perfectly logical to crawl into bed with Grandfather and cuddle into him. Just touching him made her believe anything was possible. "Do I have to become a banshee?" she whispered.

"Banshees are revered by all the Fae," her Grandfather assured her. "Surely, you wouldn't mind being a creature we all respect?"

"But, I'd have to be cold, and folks would see through me," Sookie mumbled before stifling a Cabernet burp. "And then there's the death thing. Do I have to do the death thing?"

"Too late," her Grandfather said slowly, stroking her head. "You already do that and very well."

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Desmond Cataliades was as good as his word. He tracked down Appius Livius Ocella's attorney and relayed contact information to both Pam and Eric.

"It's someone named Dimitri Costyn. Do you know him?" Pam made a stop at Sophie-Ann's palace on her way back to Ballytyne. Eric without a Dayman meant Pam was running errands, which gave her the opportunity to pass information to Andre.

"Vaguely," Andre shrugged. "Russian, obviously, but that's not surprising. From what I'm told it's where Appius spent most of his time. Have you had a chance to do a first read of the will?"

"Not yet," Pam shook her head.

"Why ever not?" Andre pressed. "Surely this Costyn forwarded the electronic copy."

"No," Pam shook her head. "There's no electronic version of anything! Apparently, Appius was old school. Every document is paper. He didn't trust computers and he refused to have any of his papers digitized. According to Cataliades, Costyn has a whole room full of metal cases and a safe. A safe! Who uses a safe anymore? It's costing me a fortune to have it all flown here on private charter. I had to arrange a cargo plane and special transport at the airport. I can't imagine it. I know we read fast, but it's going to take some time to sort through everything."

Andre's eyebrows drew together, "And you didn't consider simply going the Russia?"

"It's part of why I'm here. I know Eric isn't technically your vassal anymore, but he'd like to stay in Ireland longer. He knows this terrain and he would be more comfortable sorting at Ballytyne, among friends." Pam didn't pose it as a question, but they both knew it was.

Andre smiled tightly, "You know Sophie-Ann will say yes. There's a rumor the Viking's no longer bonded."

Pam struggled not to look surprised, but she was. It had been barely forty-eight hours. Eric hadn't been anywhere near Andre when the Queen's Second came to the house. "He's not," Pam confirmed, knowing there was no point in lying.

"I see." Pam was pretty sure she saw, too. Eric unbonded would be of some interest to Sophie-Ann, but the compelling reason came with Andre's second question. "And do you know if Eric is the Roman's sole heir?"

"It's verified," Pam nodded. "Costyn would never have released the records unless he was."

"Any idea how much money we're talking about?" Andre asked. He had a distinctly feral look. It confirmed the rumors Pam heard, despite her success with Niall Brigant, the Queen had managed to out-spend her treasury again.

"Money? A lot," Pam shrugged, "Look, I'm not here to talk about the money. There's something else. Before they left Russia, Appius negotiated a match for Eric."

Andre frowned, "Even though Northman was bonded? That must have been tricky. Who would have been desperate enough to take the Viking under those circumstances?"

"Desperate or devious," Pam sniffed. "My Grandsire sold Eric to the highest bidder and if you give it a minute, I bet you can guess who wanted him." Andre frowned, but when he continued to look puzzled, Pam supplied the answer. "Robert."

Andre's fangs descended and he hunched forward, hissing his displeasure. It took a moment before he wrestled himself back under control. "That bastard! How could he? And Northman knew?"

"If you mean did Appius ask my Maker's permission, then hell, no! He had Eric back under his sway. You know that and you know Appius. My Grandsire didn't bother to say one word about it until they were leaving for the airport. Eric tells me he boasted about how much money Robert paid for the contract."

"That must have hurt," Andre frowned.

"There was nothing Eric could do about it. Appius wanted Eric out of his hair. He'd made a couple inquiries, but word got out. Robert sought Appius out and the old Roman was pleased as punch to do the deal. Eric told me it was more than the money. Appius wanted pay back from Sophie-Ann. When she didn't pursue the investigation and reclaim Eric, my Grandsire felt she insulted him."

"He was right," Andre shrugged. "I told Sophie-Ann it was better having Northman here, but she was tired of the drama. She thought to wait for the human's passing."

"Sookie isn't exactly human," Pam pointed out.

Andre glanced behind him, "I know. I also know how angry the Roman was. You were there. He didn't exactly mince words in his negotiations," Pam nodded. There had been moments she thought it would come to blows. "But, Eric is his child. Why would Appius do this to him? He knows Eric was responsible for the death of Robert's people. Surely, as his only progeny…."

Pam sighed, "Appius hated Eric. I know Eric doesn't believe that, but I don't see any other way you can explain how Appius treated him."

Andre seemed to consider Pam's words before sighing, "Appius hated everyone. So why are you telling me this? Do you think I'll spare Eric when he marches into Sophie-Ann's Court at the head of Robert's army? I can understand why Robert wants him. The Viking is a mighty warrior. If he trains Robert's people, it may well come to a fight to the death."

"It doesn't have to come to that at all," Pam winked.

An answering smile played along Andre's lips. "Why, Miss Ravenscroft, I believe you have something in mind. Do you plan to steal and destroy the contract? Or maybe you're telling me the contract wasn't finalized."

"Oh, I have no doubt we're going to find that contract," Pam laughed. "My Grandsire never said anything unless he knew it was a done deal." 

"Then what? Do you think Eric will choose to ignore it?" Andre asked.

"The great Eric Northman? Ignore a contract? Never happen!" Pam replied.

Andre stalked closer, "And yet, you have a plan and you believe it's one I'll appreciate."

"It has a certain justice," Pam nodded. "You see, being bonded doesn't create an insurmountable impediment to being pledged to another, but a pre-existing legal claim? Well, you know how we are about our laws!"

"Like a current pledging," Andre said, playing along.

"Like a current pledging," Pam nodded. "So, for Robert's contract to move forward, Eric needs a divorce."

"And you don't think he'll get one?" Andre guessed. "I would think that after all this time, the divine Miss Stackhouse would be fed up, but she does seem to be persistent."

"Sookie would have to be dead and cold before she'd agree to a divorce," Pam answered. "Now, I wouldn't put it past Robert to try and make that happen, but with her relationship to Niall Brigant? Not even Robert is that ambitious! So, if she refuses, Robert would have to find another way around it. There is precedence, particularly since Sookie isn't vampire."

"Northman can petition his Queen," Andre recited. It was a part of vampire law everyone knew. "Only his liege, Northman's ruler, can grant the special dispensation setting aside a marriage when one partner balks. Except, of course, Northman doesn't have a liege anymore which puts him in a gray area. I suppose under the circumstances, Robert could claim as an independent vampire, Eric has the power to sunder the contract on his own, although I would anticipate the fiery Miss Stackhouse wanting to litigate the matter in Court."

Pam grinned, "Except, as it turns out, it isn't a gray area of the law. Mr. Cataliades has done some digging and he's found that in those rare cases where one or both vampires are not vassals, the ruling comes from the authority in whose territory the pledging took place."

"I don't think I've ever heard of that rule," Andre sniffed.

"Not surprising," Pam grinned. "We instituted our system of Kings and Queens centuries ago. This rule comes from before that time and Mr. Cataliades assures me it was never revoked. So, since the first pledging took place here and since the authority in place at the time is Sophie-Ann LeClerq…"

"Eric won't be getting his divorce and Robert will need to look elsewhere for a consort!" Andre laughed aloud. "Brilliant! I do enjoy the way your mind works, Pamela!" He leaned forward, bringing his mouth close to hers, "Perhaps a celebration is in order?"

"You flatter me," Pam answered, backing away. "But I don't think Sophie-Ann would appreciate losing you, even on a temporary basis, and Eric is expecting me back. The boxes are being delivered and the sooner we get the bad news delivered to Robert, the better it will be for all of us."

"You could come back," Andre pressed. "We wouldn't have to make it anything formal. We could call it a special friendship. I must admit, you draw me in a way I haven't felt in decades. You are a rare woman," Andre purred.

"I like to think so," Pam answered. "But we both know where this would end. You'd become bored and I'd be angry, so why begin?"

Andre paused, but then, to Pam's relief, he smiled. "A deft hand at everything, Miss Ravenscroft. Finding solutions, and turning down impetuous men. What other talents, I wonder, do you hide under your pink exterior?"

"Too many to list," Pam laughed, "Just ask Eric! So, do we have an accord?" and it was done.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie awoke in a wash of sunshine. It was quiet in the house and she was alone in bed. Her head hurt, although not as much as it might, and she stumbled up and into the bathroom. After a quick shower and several glasses of water, she wandered outside onto the deck.

Niall stood there, his long hair lifting in the wind. He was dressed like a tradesman and it startled Sookie to see him attired that way. Aside from the white-blond hair, he looked like someone she'd greet along a country road.

"Good morning, Granddaughter," he greeted her without turning around.

"I'll make us some coffee," Sookie offered, and stepped back into the kitchen. She was expecting Niall to announce he was leaving, but he didn't. He leaned back and made no sign of going anywhere. "So, where are you off to next?" Sookie asked when one hour turned into two.

"Nowhere," the King shrugged.

"Oh," and Sookie cast about for something to say that didn't sound rude. "Well, of course you're welcome to stay as long as you like."

"Good! I like it here," Niall beamed, and sat back, half-closing his eyes.

"Well, then maybe you won't mind hanging around here by yourself while I take a run into town." Sookie didn't know why she felt embarrassed to admit she needed to do simple human things, like shop, but she did.

"Splendid!" her Grandfather exclaimed. "I'll come with you!"

The whole way to Glenglass, Niall pointed out features or places where some piece of Fae legend had occurred. As they pulled into the car park, Sookie asked, "Do you want to wait in the car?" Niall was having none of it. In an instant, his hair matched his clothing and he walked near her elbow, his hands tucked in his pockets. Once inside, Niall didn't bother hiding his delight in everything he saw. He exclaimed over bright packaging and fruit encased in plastic. He kept up a running commentary on the size of the aisles, the freezer selection, and some of their fellow customers. Sookie didn't know whether to be alarmed or tickled. In the end, she decided to just roll with it and found herself honestly enjoying herself.

As they were getting ready to go, Sookie caught a couple of her fellow shoppers casting furtive looks their way. The sense of causing a commotion was reinforced when they started unloading the cart at the register. The woman running the register's eyes were big as saucers.

"It won't do to be too familiar with folk here," her Grandfather whispered in her ear. He stared at the cashier and, in an instant, her eyes took on the dreamy expression Ian had worn yesterday. "I'm not entirely unknown here. You are in my kingdom. Just being seen with me has created a question in their minds. They will work hard to please you. They won't know for sure, but if they associate me…."

"With the Little People?" Sookie huffed.

"I prefer 'The Gentry,' don't you?" Niall laughed. "'The Good People' isn't so bad, but we're not always 'good,' as you've seen." It was the oddest conversation Sookie had ever had in a grocery store, but Niall lifted the bags and followed her toward the car as if this was all normal.

Once the supplies were in the car, he glanced around. "Come," he said. "Let's take a walk on the beach."

It was a cool day, so Sookie wasn't too worried about leaving things in the car. Together, they walked the short blocks until they came to the seawall. There were stairs here and they walked down, one after the other. It was low tide and Niall headed toward the water's edge. Every so often, he leaned down to pick up a smooth stone and, with a quick flick of his wrist, skipped it over the waves. They had walked some distance and there were fewer houses along the headland when the ravens found them. They were great, noisy birds. Some had gray bills and others had areas of white among their glossy, black feathers. They landed on the sand, pacing along. Some flew ahead, picking at crabs, fighting and squawking. "They're huge!" Sookie exclaimed.

"Talk to them," Niall commanded.

"What?" and Sookie stopped walking. "I can't…"

"Bring them to you," Niall insisted.

Sookie looked at the crows and the one closest to her looked right back. She'd talked with song birds before and somehow felt she made herself understood, but her time with ravens had been less successful. "Okay," she sniffed. Feeling more than a little foolish, she held out her hand and called, "Here, Birdie, Birdie." The raven closest to her cocked his bright eye and with a loud caw and a quick flap, hopped onto her hand.

"Shit!" she exclaimed, her arm falling under the weight of the thing. The bird squawked loudly, flapping wings and digging its talons into her. Sookie shifted her stance and managed to lift her arm, causing the bird to still.

"Move it to your shoulder," her Grandfather commanded.

' _It's going to crap all over my coat_ ,' Sookie's inner voice told her, but she did as Niall asked.

As soon as it settled on her shoulder, the bird turned to her ear. "Welcome, Mother," a voice that was not her own whispered. "We have been waiting for you."

Sookie's mouth dropped and her eyes widened. "What did he tell you?" Niall asked. He walked slowly toward her, moving so as not to disturb the bird. Around them, the other ravens seemed to be watching.

"He said they've been waiting," Sookie gasped.

"You need to thank them and tell them to spread news of your return," Niall told her. When Sookie didn't respond, he squeezed her hand, "Do it, Sookie."

"Thank you," she said, hearing all too well the waver in her voice. "I'm back." As soon as she said it, the bird riding her shoulder lifted from her. For one moment, the weight of him dropped and she thought she'd drop with it, but in the next, he was gone from her. All around them, the ravens lifted, their cries loud and raucous, drowning out the sound of the ocean waves. "What does it mean?" she asked Niall.

"It means you aren't a banshee." Niall was smiling, and he pulled her into his arms. She couldn't help it. Sookie felt better, in fact, she felt better than better, she felt wonderful. "Come now, time to get home."

"But if I'm not…" Sookie protested, but Niall's attention had already turned elsewhere.

"Look," he said, and pointed. The seals were back, dozens of round heads watching them. "Magic drew them," he said with a wink.

"Is he out there?" Sookie asked shyly. She knew she shouldn't be curious, but she wanted to know If one of these creatures was the man she thought she loved once upon a time.

"No," Niall told her. "Breandan's not there," but Sookie thought Niall might be lying.

The sun had started to peep in and out of clouds when they pulled into the barnyard and there, standing next to the bell, were four people Sookie immediately recognized as hikers. "Hello!" one called, raising his hand.

"What can I do for you?" Sookie asked.

"I would think that's obvious," Niall scolded, already walking forward. "These travelers are looking for a place to stay and they've found it."

"That's exactly what we were going to ask," one of the women in the group laughed. "My brochure mentioned this place, but when we didn't see a sign…"

"Are you open?" the other woman asked.

"Of course, she is," Niall answered, then turning said, "Sookie, why don't you show your guests in? I'll take care of the groceries."

Sookie opened her mouth and then shut it. "Sure," she sighed. "This way."

She opened the door of the main house and showed them in. "It's late in the season, so we won't officially open until Spring, but everything's ready." She showed them the two ground floor rooms, and then the front parlor and dining room. "The television works and if you'd like, I can make a peat fire." She checked her watch. "I'll call into town. There's a good pub and it's a night they have a full menu. I'll give the owner, Brian, a call to let him know you'll be coming." She checked her watch, "Say in two hours? At six? And not to worry, I'll run you in and bring you back. In the meantime, why don't you settle in and I'll make up a tea tray."

"John, call the service and tell them to bring the bags here," one of the women said, and then, turning to Sookie, asked, "What do you call this place?"

"I don't have a name yet," Sookie confessed.

"It's so quiet," the other woman commented.

"Baile Siochanta," the one called John said. "Peaceful home."

It fit. "That's beautiful," Sookie sighed. She wrote down the street address for her guests and turned to head back to the barn for tea supplies, but Niall walked out of the kitchen behind her.

"Why don't you show me where the dishes are located?" he asked.

Sookie walked into the kitchen to find a tea tray already set up as well as a small tray with a decanter of whisky and six small glasses. "How?" Sookie asked. Niall just laughed and pulled his eye. ' _Magic!_ ' she told herself. ' _Of course!_ ' "They aren't going to get any side effects from eating Fae food, are they?" she teased.

"They will have a strong desire to recommend this place to everyone they know," Niall laughed. As she carried the tea tray into the main room, followed by Niall who carried the second, she wondered if Niall was really teasing.

Her guests were wandering about, looking at the furnishings. Niall asked, "Would you be willing to join us in a toast?" He didn't wait, he just started pouring. Everyone seemed willing, in fact eager, and Sookie heaved in inner sigh of relief. Refusing to drink might have been taken as an insult, and that wouldn't have boded well.

Niall turned to her, glass raised. "To you, Granddaughter, and to Baile Siochanta, your new home."

It was a moment. Sookie didn't know if it was magic, or just the magic of being with like-minded people who wished her well, but her heart warmed and she knew that somehow, everything was going to turn out. She felt the slight burn of the alcohol and she saw this room in other days, the lights glowing, as she and Eric brought platters of food from the kitchen. She saw him, standing here, welcoming guests, his hair shining, and his eyes shining more. She realized someone had said something to her. She could tell from the man's expression what she was expected to say and she did, "Thank you! I couldn't have asked for a better gift. It's the perfect name."

When she called, Brian assured her it was a good night for guests, adding that the musicians were already setting up. At six, Sookie had the car running, and they crammed in. "I'll meet you in town," Niall waved from the yard.

"I'm going to stop at the grocery again," Sookie warned him. They'd bought enough for themselves, but now there were four extra people who would expect a fancy breakfast. The service had dropped off four large suitcases about an hour ago and Sookie introduced herself. "We'll see how they like you," the driver said, gesturing toward her chattering guests. "If they give you the nod, I'll put this place back on the list."

Sookie finished her shopping and drove the car to park in front of the pub. She figured she'd step inside and have a bite herself while she waited for her guests to finish dinner. She hadn't seen Niall since she left Baile Siochanta, but she figured she wouldn't. It wasn't like her Grandfather to linger too long, but when she walked into the business door of Brian's place, there Niall was, sitting by the peat fire, thumping the top of the table in time to the music.

"Sookie!" he called out, raising his glass. Sookie saw Brian's sharp eyes land on her, reminding her of the shoppers earlier. "A dram for my Granddaughter!" Niall exclaimed.

Brian came by himself with a glass of whisky, setting it in front her as she arranged her coat and purse. "Could I have a sandwich, too?" she asked.

"I didn't know you were an O'Hara," Brian smiled. It was a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I'm a Northman, now," Sookie answered. "Do you have ham?"

Brian walked away and Sookie found herself staring at Niall. The musicians were good, and her guests were sitting closer to them, their faces wreathed in smiles. The waitress was bringing them large dishes full of food and signaling Brian to pour them another round. "Don't worry about the pub owner," Niall said, not looking at Sookie. "He's already seeing the luck of my people extends to you. He'll come to accept you here, as they all will."

"Why are you still here?" Sookie asked. Niall did look at her now, his eyebrows raised. "Don't get me wrong. I like having you stay with me, but… I guess I'm just surprised."

"I'm protecting you," Niall told her.

"Protecting me?" Sookie asked. "From whom? Myself?"

"Perhaps," Niall grinned, before saying more soberly, "Claude hasn't returned home. Dillon will tell me when all is well." He reached over and patted Sookie's hand, "I fear that soon I will have to return to kingdoms and worries, but for now," and he pushed the whisky toward Sookie, "I intend to enjoy this simpler life, drinking with a beautiful woman and listening to music as it was meant to be."

They would have many more times together and many more memories as the years went by, but for Sookie, this night sitting in a pub, drinking with her Grandfather, was among her best.


	55. Chapter 54 - Baile Siochanta

**Chapter 54 – Baile Siochanta**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

He blamed it on being here in Ballytyne. He'd risen searching for her. His hand reached out and it was only after he touched the bare pillow he remembered he'd sent her away. ' _She's done with me_ ,' he assured himself. His chest ached, which was unreasonable. The bond was gone.

Pam left shortly after their rising. She was personally overseeing the arrangements at the airport. He'd decided to have Appius' papers brought here and that was creating a logistical nightmare. The size of the safe was problematic. It required a flatbed and a special lift. The Russian attorney refused to open it. All this would be easier if the attorney would simply send the contents. Eric worked through Mr. Cataliades, offering every inducement, but Costyn held firm. Only Eric could open the safe and if he didn't want to transport it, he'd have to fly back to Russia to see what was inside.

Eric told himself returning to Russia was a trap. There was no reason to feel this way, but Eric couldn't escape it and so, he remained in Ireland. He assured himself settling the estate was the only reason, but Eric suspected he was lying.

Once more, Eric stared at his empty bookcases. He had so many things to do, plans to make, but all he could think of was the escape a book would provide. Pam told him he needed downtime to pull his head out of his ass, but the thought of stopping, thinking, 'feeling', and he ran harder.

Eric thought about what to do with the dacha and its harem of boys. ' _Maybe you should just order them killed_.' It was the easy answer. In a matter of moments, all the beautiful, casually cruel butterflies would end and one of the thousands of loose threads Appius' final death had created would be resolved. ' _It won't end the memory of what happened there_.' "And that's the real problem," Eric said to the air around him and his chest squeezed harder.

It was easier when Pam was here. Whenever he was alone, memories crowded him, demanding his attention. He remembered the pain of longing as the bond sickened him. He remembered the release his Maker provided. It hadn't been perfect, but it allowed Eric to maintain his sanity. "At what price?" he asked. He was not the man he'd thought he was. He was Appius' unwanted child whose every action was a disappointment. He'd betrayed beliefs he thought important to him. He'd broken promises and, in the end, all for nothing. His Maker was dead, and it was Eric who brought the instrument of his final death into their lives.

He thought of the ring he'd deliberately left downstairs. "I betrayed you," he said, thinking of Sookie. Just that thought was enough to have the ache increase. Sighing, Eric headed back downstairs, returning with the ring in his pocket. He fisted it in his hand. It carried no part of her, but just having it made him feel better.

As he walked upstairs, the doorbell rang. It was a courier. "Sign here," the driver instructed, turning the electronic pad toward Eric. Eric asked for a stylus. A vampire's lack of body heat made signing with his finger problematic. "Germs," he explained to the courier.

The box was marked "Priority," and Eric used his fingernail to slit it open as he walked into the dining room. He stopped in front of the table, remembering making love with her in this very spot, so he deliberately walked around, choosing the chair at the far end. ' _Blood_ ,' he thought. ' _You'll feel better after you feed_.' There would be donors later, once Pam returned, so for now Eric took a blood bag from the refrigerator.

Pam insisted on real blood and she'd gone to some trouble to obtain a full box of AB positive, his favorite. There were three bags in the refrigerator, the rest in the freezer, and Eric took care to move the remaining bags forward, adding a frozen bag to the back, so he wouldn't run out. He glanced at the microwave but decided it wasn't worth the effort. One sip past his tooth socket and he changed his mind, "Stop punishing yourself!"

One point five minutes later and the blood was perfect. "Let's see what we have," Eric said, knowing his one-sided conversation was purposeful. Feeling directionless was not natural and Eric felt his lack of anchor. His Maker was gone. He had no kingdom, no oaths. "No bond," he said, and his hand rose unconsciously to cover the emptiness in his chest. He shook his head as if to scatter his growing depression before deliberately pulling the box open and lifting away the thin layer of bubble wrap.

Inside, there was a velvet box. He opened it to find a jeweled knife. A contract lay beneath. The contract. Eric lifted it and found the card.

The writing was crabbed. Eric wasn't surprised. Many vampires didn't bother to improve their ability to write with a fair hand. For any who had been made long ago, like himself and Robert, the business of writing was something reserved for scribes and scholars. Learning to read was easier. Once you learned a word, it was literally impossible to forget, but writing? It required some level of artistry to master the swoops and swirls of the many languages you encountered and if you'd been turned with your hands already callused and stiff from years of sword play, wrapping your digits around a pen was almost impossible.

It had been another of the 'deformities' Appius had corrected when he turned Eric. He'd rebroken the crooked knuckles and cut away calluses, using his own blood to heal Eric's hands into those of a younger man. It had been torture but, as a result, Eric regained his finer motor skills. Learning to write an elegant hand proved enjoyable, but the experience made Eric appreciate all the more the effort handwriting this card must have cost Robert.

' _Eric, I was sorry to hear of your loss_ ,' the note read. ' _You will need help sorting through the details of your Maker's estate. I am happy to push forward the date of our pledging so I can help you_. _The way this was arranged was bad. My motives are not. I look forward to our joining, old friend.'_

Eric thought of the Robert he'd known so many years ago. Yes, Robert the King was ambitious, but he had also been a friend. Eric didn't really believe Robert held a grudge over the death of his spies. It was business. Robert gambled and lost, but he'd walked out of Sophie-Ann's Court to gamble another day. Eric might have killed Robert, but he didn't. ' _It wouldn't be terrible_ , _being pledged to him_ ,' Eric realized.

His hand closed around her ring again and, with an effort, Eric pulled it from his pocket and laid it on the table next to the contract. ' _She's gone_ ,' Eric told himself. ' _You told her to go and she did. She is done with you.'_ He repeated it until he was sure he was right and, finishing his blood, he deliberately turned over the first page of the contract and started to read.

That was how Pam found him. He'd heated a second bag of blood by then, and started making notes. The contract was signed and sealed, so there'd be no re-negotiating, but there were areas where Eric was within his rights to ask for clarification.

"Guess we don't need to look for it," Pam sniffed, pulling up a chair. She pulled out her phone and started texting. Eric didn't need to ask. She was calling for donors.

"It's surprisingly fair," Eric replied. "I'm to be given my own home and household…"

"Doubtless wired for sound," Pam huffed.

"My assets will be my own," Eric went on.

"Too bad Appius didn't have clairvoyance. Robert wouldn't have agreed to that if he'd known you were going to inherit so much," Pam chuckled. When Eric gave her a sour look, she shrugged, "I don't know why you're torturing yourself by reading that. You can't be so hard up! I told you, I can have your books here within a few hours. Why not read something worthwhile?"

"It's signed," and Eric turned his attention back to the pages. "I must prepare."

"For what?" Pam asked. "You know that's not going anywhere, Eric. Just skip to the part where you return his money."

"This was my Maker's last wish," Eric replied. "It is my duty…"

"You don't owe Appius Livius Ocella anything!" Pam huffed. She reached for the contract, but Eric grabbed it, moving it further away. "That," and she pointed toward the pages, "is never going to happen. You get that, don't you?"

"We've had this discussion before," Eric sighed. "I have to tell you it worries me to see how little you respect our ways. I shielded you from him, but maybe it has given you the wrong impression."

Pam crossed her arms, "What impression would that be? That your Maker hated me? That the only reason he didn't end me outright was because he didn't want to waste the time it would take?"

"You could have earned his respect," Eric protested. "If I'd not kept you so far apart you would have had the opportunity."

"Are you listening to yourself?" Pam huffed. "Eric! Appius hated women! He hated you for not being a little boy! I get it, you're honorable, and you credit him with making you…"

"He was hard on me!" Eric countered, swinging away from the table. "He challenged me, made me suffer, and now, I am among the oldest of our kind! Do you have any idea how many of my peers fell? How many were unable to meet the challenge of humans and age? I am standing here because Appius…"

"He tortured you!" Pam interrupted. "He twisted every part of you, trying to break you. You standing here is a testament to the truly great man you are, Eric Northman, and not to the sick games of Appius Livius Ocella!"

"It is foolish to fight about this," and Eric's anger disappeared behind the façade Pam had seen him use so often on others.

"Don't shut me out!" she huffed. "I am your child!"

"A child who doesn't appreciate the duty owed to one's Maker," Eric observed.

Pam shook her head, "That's not fair." She picked up the empty blood bag and dropped it in the kitchen trash. Settling her temper, she asked, "How's the fang?"

"Growing," Eric replied. "Itching."

"Donors will be here soon," Pam answered. "Fresh blood will help," and then she turned around, "Sookie's blood would help more."

"Don't!" and Eric growled.

"She's Fae and more magic every day," Pam shrugged as if she hadn't said anything unreasonable.

"I don't expect to see her again," Eric sniffed. "It was folly. She has moved on and I realize my mistake."

"What makes you think she's moved on?" Pam almost laughed. "Eric, Sookie's never 'moving on' from you!"

Eric's eyes returned to the table, "She's returned my ring. She killed my Maker. She severed what held us together. I don't need her burning me as she did Appius to see how wrong it was to tie myself to her."

"Don't be an asshole!" Pam did laugh now. "She badgered everyone! She stalked the Queen. She harassed Andre. Eric, she asked me to turn her. She was willing to do anything to wait for you."

"I don't understand," Eric stammered. This didn't fit his narrative and even though he knew it didn't change anything, he found he wanted to hear more.

"Didn't you get her emails? Her texts?" Pam asked. "She texted you every night, sometimes all night. She was a mess!"

"Appius had my phone," he answered.

"She never lost faith," Pam told him. "She never stopped hoping. I don't know what she told her Fae relatives. Niall snatched her back into his kingdom, for her own sake, but she held on. You know them! I'm sure he was dangling every handsome man he could. Niall's not stupid! I think even Ian made a play for her, but she wears your ring like a shield and she makes everyone call her Mrs. Northman."

"She returned my ring," Eric repeated.

"Not the gold band you pledged with," Pam pointed out.

"The band I used for our human marriage," Eric whispered.

"She used the money she got to buy a place on the ocean," Pam told him. "She told me she chose it because it has a separate owner's residence. She fixed up the downstairs to be light tight."

"Why…" and Eric felt the ache again.

"Because she hopes," Pam told him. "She loves you, Eric."

With an effort, Eric shoved his feelings back into their box, "But it isn't right," he sniffed. "Things have changed. It is time for us to return to where we belong." He pointed at the contract, "This was the path Appius wished for me and it is honorable. It is reasonable."

The car was pulling up the driveway, and Pam realized she had pushed as far as she should. She'd asked for female donors, but one was male and Eric deliberately chose him. He took the man upstairs, and he wasn't quiet about it. "Shall we join them?" the woman who'd fed her asked as the moans continued.

"I'm taken," Pam shrugged. "Do you play cards?" When they came back downstairs, Pam noticed the man's glassy stare. Eric sanctioned a larger than usual tip and clearly had returned to moody Eric. He retreated into the library and Pam waited until the car was well away before searching him out.

"I was his first," Eric said, not waiting for her to ask.

"Appius was your first," Pam guessed.

"He ripped me open," Eric replied, his eyes far away. "He taught me to find pleasure, but only after so many years. Why? Why, when it would have taken so little to pleasure us both?"

"Because he thrived on pain," and Pam glided to sit on the arm of Eric's chair. She stroked his hair as she had long ago when they were lovers and she was first made. "He thrived on fear."

"He didn't hurt the butterflies," and when Pam asked, he explained. "Appius kept a harem in Russia. Young men. He gave them everything and they gave him their love in return. He treated them well. He could have done that for me."

"Perhaps Appius grew wiser," Pam sighed. "Perhaps he came to understand the pleasure to be found in happiness."

"He kills them when they begin to bore him," Eric swallowed painfully.

Pam leaned down, kissing his hair, "You have someone who loves you, Eric. You have a phone. Reach out to her."

"I am committed," Eric sighed. "The contract is executed."

"You're afraid!" Pam sat up. It was suddenly so clear. Eric was running.

"It's best to not give yourself up so entirely to one person," Eric whispered. "It is better to hold some part back."

"You're wrong," Pam whispered back.

"I will commission the demon. I need my prior pledging set aside," and Business Eric was back.

"She won't agree," and Pam shrugged, standing up.

"She will," Eric huffed. "She is well done with me and once the paperwork is signed, I can move on."

"Well," and Pam smirked, "I'll make you a bet. If she throws the lawyer out on his ear, you have to talk to her."

"And when Cataliades returns with her signature?" Eric asked.

"I'll buy you a trousseau," Pam laughed. "And I'll use my own money."

"Which used to be mine," Eric reminded her.

"Finders, keepers," Pam grinned.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"Sookie?" Niall walked into the kitchen where she was washing the dishes. She and Niall had just finished dinner. Since she needed to set things up for breakfast, it made sense to cook and eat in the guesthouse. It was cooler this evening, so Sookie asked her Grandfather to start a peat fire, anticipating her guests would appreciate it.

"More walkers?" she asked, wiping her hands on the towel.

"I think you'd better come see," he replied somewhat mysteriously and walked from the kitchen.

Breakfast this morning had gone well. The four walkers from yesterday were from North Carolina, retired from 'the financial industry.' Niall had been particularly charming, regaling them with stories and being a generous listener in return. Sookie found herself wishing he'd consider staying. Niall being gracious made entertaining her guests so easy. The four headed on their way only to be replaced this afternoon by four more.

These were younger people on holiday from school. Sookie couldn't see the attraction of hiking at this time of year. It rained regularly and the cold off the ocean was biting.

"It's close and cheap!" one of her new guests explained with a quick shrug. They were all in town now, eating at Brian's. Sookie wasn't sure if there'd be music tonight but they were young. They might decide to stay until closing anyway. One thing she did know was she didn't need to worry about the bag service. These guests were carrying their own bags on their backs.

"Well, I have the rooms upstairs," she was saying as she stepped through the door.

"That's quite all right," Mr. Cataliades said with a bow. "We won't be staying."

"Hello, Desmond," Sookie replied, and then, "Andre," as the vampire stepped into view.

"They say they have official business with you," Niall offered. Her Grandfather had seated himself in the front parlor, but he'd chosen a chair with no table in front of it.

"Must be, to have brought you all the way out here," and Sookie lifted her chin to counteract the nervousness she felt. "May I offer you anything? I apologize, Andre. I don't have any TruBlood at the moment."

"No, no, we're quite all right," Mr. Cataliades blustered, and gestured toward the seating near the fire. "Perhaps we should sit down?"

"This is my guesthouse," Sookie explained. "If this is private business, it might be better if we took it to my residence."

"A good suggestion," Andre agreed.

It was in the way Andre kept looking around, grinning. Mr. Cataliades was formal, but Andre seemed distracted. Niall stood and walked with her as they crossed the small barnyard. "What's this about?" Sookie asked.

"I have an idea," Niall shrugged, "but it would be best to hear it from them before jumping to conclusions."

Sookie opened the door and they filed into her parlor, all except Andre. "Please come in," Sookie said to the Queen's Second, remembering he was barred from any private home until he received a formal invitation. "You are welcome in my home."

Again, the vampire seemed to take in everything. "I understand you maintain light tight quarters?" he asked.

"I do," Sookie replied, her alarm bells ringing. Taking a breath, she squared her shoulders and raised her chin again. "I don't mean to rush you, but I have guests this evening. I'll have to run if they call for a ride."

"Of course, of course," Mr. Cataliades bowed again, and then, reaching into his breast pocket, he removed an official-looking envelope. "I just need your signature on these documents. It will require a drop of your blood as well. It's an old custom, but there it is."

"And what is it you think I should be signing?" Sookie asked. The attorney had walked to her dining room table and was fumbling for a pen.

"Your consent to divorce," Mr. Cataliades said smoothly. "I've cited irreconcilable differences. Since you are living apart, Mr. Northman thought that the most appropriate reason. He said to tell you he could add adultery if you wish."

"Divorce?" The air left her lungs and she felt her head spin.

"Sookie?" Grandfather called. "Would you like a chair?"

"Why are you here?" Sookie asked Andre. Since this visit had gone from business to ambush, she wanted to understand each of their roles.

Andre's smile shifted. He was suddenly less playful, and despite her flinching, he took her hand. "As you are fond of pointing out, Mrs. Northman, you are technically considered a vampire and remain under the protection of my Queen. I accompanied Mr. Cataliades to support you and answer any questions you might have about your rights in this matter."

Sookie's eyes widened. It wasn't what she expected, but Niall replied, "That is very kind of you, Andre. Please tell the Queen we are most grateful for her support." Turning to Sookie, he asked, "What questions do you have, Granddaughter?"

Sookie's mouth opened, and then closed. Her head was swimming and her throat was dry. She managed to take a few steps over to look at the document. It was handwritten in a sprawling, old-fashioned script. She made out her name and Eric's, written large with curlicues and embellishments. "Why does anyone think I want a divorce?" she asked, once her voice returned.

"Well, Mr. Northman has abandoned you," Desmond offered helpfully.

"I don't believe that," Sookie replied. Slowly, her head was clearing. Her heart was slowing, no longer feeling as if it would hammer out of her chest, and the attorney's earlier words were starting to register. "We have no irreconcilable differences that I know of. I don't consider our situation irreconcilable, not at all."

"That is helpful information to know," Andre assured her, and positioned himself so he and Sookie could both stare at Mr. Cataliades. "Perhaps your client has been misinformed."

"Mr. Northman has commitments that require setting aside this pledging," and Mr. Cataliades held out the pen.

"Commitments?" Sookie exclaimed. She could hear her voice had risen. "What commitments?" When Mr. Cataliades merely opened his hands, Sookie felt her temper start to spark. "And you can't tell me? What the hell! Why isn't Eric here? If he has something to say to me, he should damn well say it himself!"

"Perhaps Mr. Northman wished to avoid any unpleasantness," Mr. Cataliades offered.

"Unpleasantness?" Sookie scoffed, and then, the image of Appius burning flashed before her. It drained her anger. ' _Monster_ ,' she thought, ' _he is afraid of me now_.'

"If Sookie were a vampire, how would something like this be handled?" Niall was asking. "Since this is a legal matter, shouldn't Northman be required to confront her in person?"

"But he won't, because he's…" and Sookie was going to say, ' _afraid of me_ ,' but her Grandfather jumped in.

"Because she's human, correct?" and Niall glared at Mr. Cataliades.

"Her nature does play into it," Andre offered before the attorney could say anything. He turned to Sookie, apologizing. "I'm sorry, Sookie. These prejudices among our kind are inexcusable. I always thought Northman rare in that he didn't seem to fall into them, but I suppose this proves even he can be small-minded."

Mr. Cataliades was the one looking more than managed now, but Sookie didn't notice. The idea of being treated less because she was human had taken root and her backbone returned. "And what if I refuse to sign?" she demanded.

"Well, I suppose it will need to go to a formal proceeding," Mr. Cataliades stammered. "But, consider, Sookie. You didn't wish to be pledged to him. You didn't wish to be bonded. It was a matter of convenience and now, you are here, under the protection of the Brigants and all the Seelie. They have accepted you. You can't have any more need for the Viking."

Sookie's mouth opened. She could see Eric's eyes and the way his mouth opened as he moved over her. She thought of his all-too-rare laugh and the way his hands drifted over her body. Shaking her head, she told him her truth, "You're wrong."

"I'm sure if you wished, Mr. Northman would be willing to contribute some part of his assets to your upkeep," Mr. Cataliades offered.

And Sookie was angry. She felt her magic begin to gather, but she deliberately cut it off, imagining herself a cold goddess instead of a raving maniac. "This was never about assets!" Sookie snarled. "I won't do it. You can't make me and I won't! No divorce!" and she grabbed the paper and ripped it in half. Turning on her heel, she ordered, "Now, get out!"

She felt her power begin to gather again, this time stronger. ' _Run!_ ' her voice warned, and without waiting to see them leave, Sookie did. She walked straight forward, throwing open the glass doors that led to her deck and stalked into the night. As she reached the end of the platform, she saw the form of another fish and drawing her foot back, she kicked it as hard as she could toward the sea. She was too angry for words and she marched down the steps, walking along the ocean's edge, her feet sinking in the soft sand. "You bastard!" she yelled, and then, "Fuck you, Northman!" Soon enough, the reality of trying to march through sand leeched the strength from her legs, along with her anger and her pace slowed. The lights of Glenglas burned far ahead and as she stopped to catch her breath, her phone vibrated. Sookie panted for another minute or two before pulling it from her pocket. Her guests were calling for a lift.

Sookie stared up at the stars, willing her emotions to calm. "I will not cry," she lectured herself. "And you, Eric Northman, are a coward!" She didn't really think he was. ' _He's in a dark place_ ,' Pam had told her.

Her phone buzzed again and Sookie turned, almost knocking into Niall. "You were magnificent!" he laughed as he caught her arms. "Cataliades jumped and stammered, like the fat rat he is, and Andre whisked out the door backward. I never get tired of watching them when their invitations are rescinded!" He pulled her into his arms, ignoring her stiff resistance, and laughed until Sookie relaxed as well.

"What say we use a little magic?" Niall looked like a mischievous boy and, in a blink, they were back in her residence. Sookie was still holding her phone and Niall asked, "Do you want me to go get them?"

"No," Sookie huffed. "No, the drive will do me good."

"Then, I'll come with you!" and Niall altered his appearance, taking on the look of the stereotypical Irish duffer.

"There won't be enough room," Sookie pointed out. Her car had a large back seat, but six was its limit.

"Don't you worry! I know how to get back from town!" and Niall laughed again.

"Someone is going to figure it out," Sookie scolded, but she couldn't help smiling. Her Grandfather's high spirits were putting the earlier conversation in a better light. As they got into the car, Sookie asked, "Did they really think I'd sign?"

"Cataliades did," Niall grinned. "Andre was here to make sure you didn't."

Sookie shook her head, "I don't get it. Since when does the Queen's Second care about me and the state of my marriage?"

"I'm not sure," Niall shrugged. "Maybe those 'commitments' Cataliades mentioned aren't something that works for the Queen. Or maybe…" and Niall squeezed Sookie's arm, "Maybe he's become a romantic and wants true love to find a way."

"And maybe I'm the Queen of the May," Sookie eye-rolled. She made the turn and started down the main road toward town. "When I saw Andre, I thought he was going to demand my arrest for killing Appius."

Niall leaned back, "Yes, that. I don't think they know. Claudine tells me the cause of death was reported as an accident."

"It was no accident," Sookie growled. She couldn't help it. The satisfaction she felt slithered through her, making her feel both powerful and guilty at the same time.

"Well, we know that," Niall nodded, "and Northman knows it. If it gives you any consolation, he decided no one else should know." Niall stared at her as he said, "He made a decision to protect you, Sookie. Even if the circumstances were different, if it were to become known that you were involved in Appius' death, there would be an inquiry. Vampires are curious creatures. They want to know things. It gives them something to talk about in the long hours they spend hiding."

"You really don't like vampires, do you?" Sookie sighed.

"I don't like any creature who isn't Seelie," her Grandfather grinned.

Sookie had to laugh. "Except me!" she scolded.

"Why, you are more Fae than any of us!" Niall replied. "You are well on your way to becoming a Queen!"

"What does that mean?" Sookie asked, but they were pulling up in front of Brian's pub, and Niall just leaned over and pecked her cheek before getting out.

"I'll meet you back at the house!" he called, and made a motion mimicking drinking before turning toward the pub.

The young people chattered amongst themselves, ignoring Sookie. Although she was only in her twenties, the way they were ignoring her made Sookie feel much older. She left them in the guesthouse, gathered in front of the peat fire Niall started, pouring glasses of the wine she'd set out for them. "Bye," she called, but only one half-held up his hand, then Sookie was back outside, walking across the farmyard.

The night sky was studded with stars, and she stopped so she could tilt her face toward the sky and just take it all in. It was what she loved about being out here, so far from city lights. The sky unfolded in layer upon layer of dim spots of light. ' _Eric_.' His name sprang to her mind. She wondered if this sky looked the same as the one he'd seen as a young man, or if a thousand years ago, even the stars were different. He'd filed Appius' death as accidental. ' _To protect you_ ,' Grandfather told her.

Sookie thought of him, standing in Ballytyne, howling until she slapped him. Reaching to her chest, she rubbed the spot she associated with their lost bond. It felt as if she had a hole there and catching herself, she smiled. "I'm not giving you up!" she said out loud. "Not ever, not until you come and tell me yourself…" and smiling some more, she reached for the knob of her door, "and maybe not then, either."

"Who are you talking to?" Niall asked. Sookie wasn't surprised to see him back here. He'd started the fire in her residence as well, and he was lounging in front of it, draped across one of her armchairs, sipping whisky.

"I thought only leprechauns liked to drink," she smirked.

"Leprechauns have a rare gift for making spirits," Niall corrected. "The Seelie don't condone excess, but we do appreciate things that take skill, and a dram of well-made whisky? That takes skill!" He held up the glass he'd poured her. It was neat and Sookie sniffed it, appreciating the bouquet before adding the single drop of water as Niall had taught her. When she settled, he leaned back again. "It has been pleasant visiting with you," he sighed. "I will be sorry to see our time come to an end."

"I was wondering when you'd be leaving," Sookie acknowledged. "It has been wonderful, and I am thankful. Who are you sending to babysit? Claudine?"

"I don't think that will be necessary," and Niall winked. Sookie didn't ask, but her look was enough. "You don't think your rejection will go unnoticed, do you?" Niall answered.

"What if he means it?" Sookie asked.

"Surely, you don't accept that," Niall teased, but when Sookie didn't answer, he reached over to take her hand. "You are Fae, my Sookie," he assured her. "You are powerful in your magic, which means you have the power to get what you wish. Northman loves you. He told me and vampires, once swayed, don't change. He will come, he has no choice, and when he does, remind him who you are and what he feels about you."

"You sound so sure," and Sookie took a deep breath.

"Some things are meant to be," Niall purred. "And you, living here near the ocean with your vampire, is one of those things. I feel it and I have a way of knowing."

Much later, Sookie crawled into bed with her Grandfather as she had these past few nights. As she cuddled into his arms, she surrendered her doubts. That night Sookie dreamed of a world where she presided over nights dancing under the stars, a raven on her shoulder, and Eric Northman standing tall behind her, his sword in hand.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

"She sent me tumbling into the dirt!" Andre hissed. "There is no doubt, your wife will remain stubborn. If you mean to pursue this, Northman, you'll have to file formal papers." Eric already knew Sookie refused to sign the divorce decree. Mr. Cataliades had messaged him last night and then refused to answer his repeated calls. When he tried tonight, and the demon again ignored him, Pam suggested calling the Palace.

The Queen's Second was on speaker. Pam was barely hiding her glee and it added to Eric's irritation. "Didn't Cataliades tell her about the adultery?" Eric snarled.

"Of course," Andre answered. "I was right there when he said it, but Eric, it made no difference." There was a sound and Eric got the impression the Second wasn't alone. "There's nothing for it, Northman. Unless you can convince her otherwise, it will take a Court battle to get your divorce."

"Guess you'll have to go see Sookie," Pam snorted.

"I'm glad this is amusing you," Eric said sourly.

"You should know this whole business places us in a delicate position," Andre continued. "You are no longer a vassal, Eric, but Sookie is so long as she's pledged to you. I realize it's a technicality, but since her feelings on this matter are clear, we…the Queen and I, have no choice but to take Sookie's part." There was another choked sound which sounded a lot like the sounds Pam was making. After a bit, Andre added, "No hard feelings, you understand."

"So, going to cut that check to Robert, now?" Pam asked when they disconnected.

"I can't understand why she's being so stubborn!" Eric snarled. "She…" 

"She loves you," Pam interrupted. "She loves you and she won't believe your feelings have changed."

"I told her she was a mistake!" and Eric stood, his hand unconsciously clenching the ring in his pocket.

"So, go ask her," Pam goaded. "You said you would."

Eric hissed, his sole fang extending, "This is no joking matter!" He turned away, his hand rubbing his chest.

"What's wrong?" Pam asked.

"Nothing!" Eric snapped, then with a sigh, "I feel hollow." Pam's eyes narrowed and she picked up his phone. "What are you doing?" Eric snarled again.

"A bet is a bet," Pam sniffed, and she tossed the phone to him.

In the text box, Pam had typed, ' _I feel hollow_.' Eric's lip curled, and then, the bubble appeared, the one that told him she was replying. ' _Sookie_ ,' his heart called as her message came through. ' _Come home_.'

"This solves nothing!" and Eric flung the phone.

"Smart!" Pam scolded, picking up the pieces, "You just got that phone. Listen, Eric, I know you. You wouldn't be this upset if you weren't fighting yourself so hard."

"I'm not!" he protested, but even he could hear the pouting tone. "I am doing what is right," he said, making certain to sound surer.

"Obviously, you aren't going to listen to me," Pam shrugged, "which means I'm going home." She picked up a notebook from the table and tossed it at him. "Do yourself a favor, Eric. Do what your wife does when she can't figure out her feelings, make a list."

"I know what is right," Eric repeated, and he did, but he had a suspicion what was right in this case might not be the right answer.

After Pam left, he tossed the notebook on the table, walked over to the windows and then walked back. He glanced at the paper, allowing his lip to curl, but, somehow, the pen found its way into his hand. ' _Sookie_ ,' he wrote across the paper. Just seeing her name warmed him.

He remembered the first time he saw her. She was trudging from her car to the apartment she shared with her Mother in Boston. She was bundled against the chill night air, carrying heavy bags of groceries. Her eyes cut to the toughs hanging out in the playground before fixing straight ahead, her lip pushed out just a little. As she neared the fence at the end of the cul de sac, she'd smiled. Eric didn't know if she saw him there, a black dog hiding in the shadows but, for a moment, her face lit up, as though the act of smiling turned something on inside that glowed through her.

His finger moved to the next line on the paper and although he didn't write anything, his mind supplied the words. He saw her as he had that first time in Ireland, standing on the street in front of Ghoul's Kiss, a shopping bag in hand. It was overcast and late, but somehow, the light found her hair. "You were so beautiful," he told the paper.

His finger moved down another line. He remembered how sad Sookie was when she walked away from Breandan. He'd taken advantage of Breandan's fall to court her for himself, and although he knew she was attracted to him, Sookie had handled herself with grace, taking her time. He remembered the sharp pain he felt when she returned to Breandan again, how her loyalty left him wanting her and the joy he felt when she finally broke with the Fae Prince. She'd gone flying with him through the night skies and he thought his heart would start to beat again, having her in his arms.

"And she came to love me," he said aloud, his finger moving again. He saw her as she agreed to Niall's plan. Her eyes were so clear as they'd sat side by side, him explaining what pledging would mean. He'd wanted her, but he'd been worried about moving too fast. "But, you rose to me," he remembered, thinking of that first time, seducing her with poetry and gestures. "And questions," he laughed. "My Sookie, such a good one for questions." He'd been afraid to press his advantage, but she surprised him, her appetite for sex as greedy and inventive as his own. "You made me laugh," he told the paper.

It was rare. He could count the people he considered funny on one hand. Pam, of course, "And you." His finger ran over her name where he'd written it. She'd told him one of the reasons she loved him was because he 'got' her. "You get me, too," he nodded.

"And then you were hurt," he continued. "I thought I would lose you." He thought of how she looked in the ambulance, his chest aching as he realized he would follow her into final death, that no matter what, he loved her enough not to turn her. "I did love you." It sounded odd, said aloud, and Eric savored the words. ' _She is a mistake_.' He heard Appius saying it and Eric considered it.

Was this thing he felt for her because she was Fae? Was it because of some spell or failing? There were nights he was called from her, weeks she was left alone. She didn't nag. Instead, she found ways to be useful. She didn't live her life to suit him. She built a partnership that made his life better. "She trusts me," Eric said aloud.

Eric moved his finger to the other side of the paper. He thought of what he owed his Maker. The first lines were easy: Being made vampire. Survival. Skills. He thought of what Pam said, he would have become himself regardless of Appius. Pam was a magnificent vampire and he'd never administered the kind of pain Appius lavished so generously.

' _She is a killer_ ,' he chastened himself. He remembered Sookie's face as she destroyed Appius, her hair wild and her smile bright. It was then he remembered another time. He could see Sookie's face watching him as he beheaded Robert's spies. He knew she was horrified. Her face drained of color and her eyes were so large but, when he'd asked, she'd returned to their home with him. He gave her every reason to run, but Sookie didn't, and Eric stood up to find his car keys.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

The drive was long. Eric didn't remember this road and he'd driven over most of Ireland. He cursed his temper again, wishing he had his phone, but the GPS in the car seemed to be working. As he came over the hill, he slowed and there, where the map told him it would be, was a driveway. He turned in and almost immediately headed over a small hill and found nestled in a hollow in the land, the thatched roofs.

He recognized Sookie's car, the car he'd bought her, in the yard. The lights to the bigger house were dark, but the house that had been a barn was bright. He sat for a moment, asking himself one last time if this made sense, but he knew it did.

He barely knocked on the door before it opened. She smiled up at him and he smelled tears. "Sookie…" he started.

"Welcome home, Eric," she sighed, and she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him. Her head fit perfectly against his chest and her form filled his arms.

' _Home_ ,' he thought, and for the first time in a thousand years he knew what it meant.


	56. Chapter 55 - All Good Things

**Chapter 55 – All Good Things**

 **Disclaimer** : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Sookie stood within his embrace just breathing. He was solid under her cheek, his arms around her as she'd imagined them so many times these past months. Eyes closed, she turned her head enough to kiss his chest. It was perfect, he was perfect. "Eric," she whispered again.

His arms squeezed her closer, but there was something. When Sookie's heart calmed, she pulled back to search his eyes. "What is it?"

He didn't reply and Sookie threaded her fingers through his. "It doesn't matter," she told him. "We'll figure this out together, Eric. Come inside. Let me show you our new home."

"Home," he said aloud, and Sookie smiled just for him.

"You bet, Mr. Northman. When I found this place, I just knew. Our bedroom still needs a bed, but there's a deck out back big enough for take-offs any time you want to go flying. We have our privacy here. There's the house out front where I can run my business, and then there's this place. It's strong, Eric, stone walls. Nothing's going to hurt us if we're in here!"

"Pam says you looked for me." Sookie stopped her tugging to glance up.

"Of course," Sookie answered. "I'll always look for you. Do you remember what you told me? We're fated." Pushing him until he sat on the couch, she smiled shyly, running back to close the front door. She locked it, gave him another flirty look, but Eric didn't smirk back. He watched her, his eyes wary.

It caused Sookie's steps to slow just a bit, but she pasted her smile back in place, settling herself next to him, tucking her legs in. She sighed again as she touched him, pulling his arm to come around her. "I've dreamed of this," she sighed.

His arm tightened, "So have I," he replied, and she shivered as she felt his lips touch her hair. They were facing the fire and Sookie shifted to cuddle closer. She stroked his hand, quieting her thoughts, just being in the moment.

"There are things I should tell you," Eric said.

"There's nothing you could tell me that would change how I feel about you," Sookie told him.

He moved her, bringing her closer, arranging her so he could hold one of her hands between his, his long fingers encasing hers. "You don't know that. Sookie, I've done things…"

"Nothing that matters," she said quickly him, and turning her head, leaned forward just enough to press her lips against his. She shifted to her knees, looking everywhere but his eyes, using her fingers to stroke his hair and then his cheek. "You were stolen from me, Eric, and now you're returned. We're together, that's all that matters."

"I fucked others," he said, and his chin lifted just a little. "Many others, Sookie. I broke my promise to you, many times."

"I understand," Sookie told him. It was something she'd suspected. It still stung, but seeing how it troubled Eric, she found she had it within herself to forgive. "Do you need to keep doing it?"

"You broke with Breandan for less than I've done," he pressed.

"You're not Breandan," Sookie answered. "You are Eric Northman. You are honorable and kind. You are my warrior poet, and you telling me confirms every good thing I know about you. You did what you needed to do to survive, husband, and now you've returned to me."

Sookie could see her words made a difference and she joined those words with kisses. This time, he turned his head, seeking that place where her jaw joined her neck. She thought for a moment he'd strike, but instead he breathed deeply. His arms were around her again, tightening, holding her as if she was his rock in a storm and she smiled into him. "I'm here," she whispered, sensing his need for assurance.

He made a sound and Sookie couldn't tell if it was a sob or a laugh. "I'm probably poor," he whispered.

Sookie leaned back again. She knew her eyes were glowing and she touched the lips that had caressed her before tilting her mouth into a grin. "Poor as me when you met me?" she teased.

"Maybe more," and a shadow of the old humor returned. "Everyone thinks my Maker's death…" and the shadow passed over his face again before he resumed, "They think Appius' passing means I'll be wealthy. He was old and it's in our nature to accumulate wealth, but Appius…" and he looked away.

"I don't regret killing him," Sookie said, putting it on the line. "He would have killed me, Eric, and it was because he wanted to hurt you. Your Maker didn't have anything against me personally, but if my death meant punishing you, he'd kill me over and over. He was sick. I felt it."

"How?" Eric asked.

"I reached for you through our bond. I searched. I grew my magic because I thought it would make finding you easier and I did find you…the end of the bond, at least. He was there, waiting for me and I felt every bit of him. It was our bond, our open, wonderful bond, and he was squatting, keeping me from finding you." Eric was looking lost again, so she lifted her hand to brush his hair from his forehead. It hurt her heart to see him so torn. "He was happy he found me," Sookie nodded. "He invited me, challenged me to come, and I knew what he wanted."

"Then why did you come?" Eric asked.

"Because you're my husband," Sookie replied. "Because I love you, Eric." Sookie placed her hand over Eric's heart, "And you are mine, as I am yours. Forever."

"Forever," he repeated, covering her hand with his, and then he leaned forward, his lips meeting hers. It was gentle, but Sookie had never felt anything more right. Her lips moved under his and she moaned into his mouth. Touching her Seelie relatives made her feel light, but his touch healed her in a whole new way.

When it became clear Eric wasn't comfortable taking things further, Sookie settled back, nestling her head against his shoulder. There was time now and she wouldn't hurry him. They stared at the fire and after a bit, Eric moved, "I should probably go."

Sookie almost panicked, but her voice whispered and she listened. "I won't stop you," she told Eric, "but before you go, maybe you'd help me with something."

"Of course," he answered, and she walked him into the bedroom she'd been using.

"You missed Niall," she told him, talking as though this was all natural, "He stayed with me after… Well, after. Do you suppose he's clairvoyant? He ate dinner tonight and announced it was time for him to go and not an hour later, here you were."

"It's said the Seelie can sometimes see the future," Eric shrugged. He was looking at the bed and Sookie could see his unease.

"I need to move the mattress downstairs. I've been sleeping here temporarily, but I'd like to start my new life and that's with me downstairs." Sookie started pulling the sheets from the bed, aware of the faint scent of fairy being released into the air. "It's just too heavy for me, so if you wouldn't mind?" and she turned, her arms full.

The lost look in Eric's eyes stabbed at her heart, but Sookie kept her smile plastered in place. After a moment, he nodded, and in that way that always surprised her, he picked up the heavy mattress like it was a piece of paper. "This way," and she turned, trusting him to follow her.

She walked through the living space, turning and offering advice, scolding when he got too close to a table, teasing, praising, deliberately drawing out the time. When he got to the stairs leading down to the master, Sookie insisted on his waiting until she turned on the lights. She dropped the sheets as he passed her, knowing it released more scent, hoping it would help with the job she faced. She could see his pupils were dilated, which was for the better. "Here," and she gestured at the open space against the far wall. "I know!" she huffed at his look. "I need a real bed, but I just haven't found the right one."

"The bed Brigant sent…" Eric spoke.

"You're right!" Sookie brightened. "It would be perfect," and she walked over to hug him, smiling up into his face, "Thank you."

"I should…" and Eric started to turn.

"We always seem to spend important nights on odd mattresses, don't you think?" Sookie interrupted.

"What do you mean?" Eric asked.

"Our first night, remember? What was that thing? At the Queen's palace, that round puff thing?" Before Eric could answer, Sookie laughed, "And remember that spring set in Minnesota? It sang as bad as me!" and she laughed again.

It worked. Eric's lip twitched, and his eyes were less troubled. "Your uncle knew me for what I was," he volunteered.

"And we danced," and Sookie twined her fingers with his, placing her hand lightly on his shoulder. "I felt as if I'd stepped into another time, waltzing with you."

His hand found her waist and he pressed gently, leading her as he had that night. Together, they stepped to a tune only they could hear, their eyes meeting. "Sookie," he sighed.

"Älskade," she answered.

Eric pulled her closer, and they turned together a few more steps. Sookie ran her hand down his chest, unbuttoning his shirt, turning her head so she could kiss his exposed flesh. She thought for a moment he'd stop her, but as she ran her nails lightly under his shirt, he shuddered, pulling her a little closer. "I missed this," she whispered. "I missed how you feel, how you smell…"

"Wife," he said.

Sookie smiled against his skin, unable to stop the quick prickling of tears, "Husband."

She reclaimed her hand so she could finish with the buttons. Both his hands dropped to her hips and they swayed and turned, covering the space of the room. When she tugged, he allowed her to remove his shirt. When her hands reached for his pants, he stilled, "Are you sure?"

"Why don't you start a shower?" she smiled. "Over there," and she pointed to the door. The bathtub was upstairs, but the shower down here was large enough for two and was equipped with a bench. It hurt her, how tentative he looked, as if he didn't believe he was worthy of her. She purposely waited beside the bed until she heard the water running, and then she removed her clothes, folding them, picking up his.

"Do you mind if I share the hot water?" she asked. He was facing away from her, and she couldn't help it, her eyes fastened on his butt and resisted any impulse to let go.

"Sookie," he said after a moment, "Eyes up here!" She felt her flush catch her, and then it deepened when he laughed. _'Water_ ,' her voice sang. ' _Water in the desert_ ,' and she knew his laughter was all that and more.

"Well, I can't help it!" she stammered, "You're… Well, you have a world class ass!"

He turned, his hands working up a lather, "And you have the best tits I've ever seen."

She stepped forward, deliberately pushing her breasts forward, "Really? I think you better show me, Mr. Northman!"

He reached out then, using the lather to wash and worship while she took the soap so she could return the favor. As the water ran, they used fingers and lips to relearn the lines of each other. Sookie stroked shoulders and then the flat planes of his chest. She used her nails to wash each nipple, then smoothed her thumbs down, counting each rib, dipping down, inch by inch, coming closer and closer, but each time moving away. He had no way to hide the effect she was having on him, He had been half-erect when she stepped into the shower. Now, his cock strained proudly between them and when she at last wrapped her hand around its base, he hissed.

"Watch me," she begged, and holding his eyes, she sank to her knees, bending him so she could kiss him before opening her mouth to use her tongue, tickling the way he liked. His hand cupped her cheek and she heard his fangs snick. That's when she saw that he only had one and she stilled, wondering what happened.

It was enough to make him hesitate and he tugged her hand, bringing her to her feet. "Sookie!" he sighed.

She stepped back, turning off the water and pulled him toward her. She took a towel and began rubbing him, touching and caressing. He dried her as well and she shook out her hair, glancing over her shoulder as she walked to the bed. She leaned down, falling to her hands and knees, and looked at him again. He was breathing, taking in her scent, and she smiled her encouragement. "I'm yours," she whispered.

"Mine," and his nostrils flared.

"Please!" she begged, and he was over her, his large frame draped over hers. His hand wrapped in her hair, pulling her head to the side. He sniffed and licked before he bit. Sookie did her best not to flinch. Only having one fang made his bite awkward, but before he could pull back, she pressed her behind against his hard length, arching her back, offering herself. "Yes!" she cried.

She wasn't truly ready, but she reached below to play with her clit as he pressed into her, withdrawing and pressing again, and it didn't take long. He pulled her upright, his fang still in her neck, his thighs solid under her own. He was rocking and she was riding him, rising and falling, her arm reaching to hold his head against her, his arm like an iron band wrapped around her.

She felt the moment he faltered. His suction slowed, as did his pace. "Eric?" she called. He pulled his head away, slowing even further. ' _What did he do to you?_ ' Sookie wondered. She wasn't surprised when he let her rise away from him. It was he who looked surprised when she turned to face him. She positioned herself, straddling his thighs and using her hands, brought him back to her entrance. "Yours!" she told him, before starting to rise and fall. She placed one hand on his shoulder, using him for leverage. His mouth opened, and she raised her other hand to stroke his lone fang before she leaned, using her tongue to worship it. She purposely cut her tongue, then jousted with his, coating his mouth with her blood.

He moaned, and his hands found her hips, helping her. He stroked and stroke again, and his eyes rolled back. ' _Finally!_ ' she sighed. He was lost in her, his focus and joy in their joining allowing her to lose herself as well. It wasn't elegant, but it was thorough, leaving her panting and him lying, rather boneless, on top of her.

"Eric," she said after a moment, and when he didn't respond at first, she poked, "Eric, roll over. You're heavy!"

"I thought you wanted me on you," he purred, sounding like his old self.

"I want you in me," Sookie sassed, "there's a difference." Eric smirked, actually smirked, and Sookie heart lightened, cuddling herself as he settled at her side.

"I may wish to stay a little longer," he told her.

"I wish you to stay forever," Sookie replied, and nipped his shoulder. She stilled, and then, catching his eyes, she bit, and then bit again, drawing blood. It was so wonderful, the taste of him, feeling those tendrils start to awaken within her again. He stroked her head and she drank until the wound sealed under her lips. She kissed his now-smooth skin and sighed, settling back, opening herself to feeling him again.

It was unsettling. He was unsettled, wary. "You have nothing to fear from me," she said aloud.

"You've changed," he shrugged. She knew what he meant. She had changed, and it chilled her to think that Eric might see the same monster she saw when she looked in the mirror. "I don't care," he hastened to assure her, doubtless feeling her reaction through their thin blood tie.

"I haven't changed on the inside," Sookie whispered.

"No," he agreed, "you haven't." He pulled her to him, "You are still that beautiful woman who gives to everyone before you take for yourself."

He was smiling, and she smiled in return. "Turn me?" she asked.

Now it was Eric who stilled. "Sookie," he said after a bit, "You don't really wish that."

If he'd asked her an hour ago, even twenty minutes ago, he would have been right, but seeing him like this, feeling how far they were from each other, Sookie knew she'd changed her mind. "I won't lose you again," she told him. "I mean it, Eric. I want to return to what we were. I miss us."

"You are lost in this moment," he told her. "Morning will come and you'll regret those words. You will see the sunshine and remember how much you would miss it." He gestured at the room, "You wouldn't be able to have your B&B or entertain your guests. All this, you would give up."

"I would find other things to do," Sookie insisted. "What's important is I would have you," and she squeezed his hand, "Us."

When he continued to look skeptical, she touched his face and quoted, "What were the use of my creation if I were entirely contained here?"

Eric smiled, "I don't know what you see in that book," he chuckled.

"Don't you?" Sookie challenged. "Wait here," and she ran upstairs, returning with his copy of Wuthering Heights. Sitting cross-legged, she opened the page to the marker and read, "If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not see a part of it." Sookie closed the page and crawled toward him, back into his welcoming arms. "She speaks for my heart, Eric. Nothing is worth it without you. You are my life, my love!"

He drew in a deep breath and settled again. Sookie shivered and he was away from her in a heartbeat, only to return with a blanket he used to cover her before drawing her back against him. "We are together," he assured her. "We can talk about the rest tomorrow night…"

"And for all the nights after that," Sookie smiled. "I'll get my way in the end, you know I will, Eric! You've said it yourself, I'm stubborn."

"That you are," Eric nodded, "but it's the kind of decision that needs more conversation." Sookie couldn't help feeling disappointed. She knew Eric wasn't rejecting her, but having finally decided, she felt anxious to get started. "I haven't said no," Eric added, and Sookie almost asked if he'd read her mind, before remembering he'd read her feelings instead. He rolled to his back, hooking his arm under his head, "I meant what I said, earlier. I suspect unraveling my Maker's estate will be consuming."

"Good thing you have a wife who's a bookkeeper," Sookie reminded him.

"Wife," he smiled. It was in the way he said it. Sookie rolled closer and took him in her hand.

"I think you need to say it like you mean it," she teased, stroking with a little twist and he grinned, truly grinned.

"You don't feel suitably claimed?" he asked.

"I think you'd better get that world class butt busy, Buster. You have some making up to do!" and then Sookie squealed as he was suddenly over her, his eyes burning.

"You should know better than to tease a vampire!" he growled.

"Oh?" and she lifted her chin, "And what are you going to do?" She could feel her nipples harden in anticipation. She bit her lower lip before whispering, "Fuck me until I beg for more?" She reached lower, squeezing his balls, "Make me scream your name?

When he smiled wider, Sookie shoved, flipping them so she was astride him. "Show me what you got, Northman," she challenged, and he did.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

Sookie had never felt better. She'd had Eric's blood again last night. They weren't bonded, not yet, but she thought it might come soon. Once things got rolling, their enthusiasm had pushed a few boundaries. He'd had to use his blood to heal some ripping. Sookie had shown him little quarter, demanding in a way she usually didn't. She'd told him every part of him belonged to her, bringing him to orgasm by using her fingers within him. He'd reciprocated, and although she'd come so hard she'd seen fireworks behind her eyes, she'd taken some damage. The signs were on the sheets this morning as she'd crawled away from him.

Her coffee tasted more wonderful than usual and there was bright, golden light streaming through her back windows. Sookie stepped into the beam of sunshine, remembering how she asked him to turn her. ' _I could do it_ ,' she assured herself, ' _for him_ ,' and wished she didn't feel like a liar.

Beyond the doors, the sun kissed a thousand waves. The water was gray, white caps speaking of winter storms somewhere far away. On a whim, Sookie got dressed in heavy clothes and headed out to walk the beach. The breeze smelled fresher and she could almost taste the salt in the air. Everything felt new, more intense, and she knew it was the effect of having Eric's blood within her. She reached for him, rejoicing in the soft buzz she knew was his essence within her. "He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same," Sookie quoted out loud, thinking again of Catherine and Heathcliff, fated for life.

"And that's how it's going to be?" At the sound of his voice, Sookie stopped. She drew a breath, calculating how far she was from her house. "He comes home and you get your happy ending?" Claude snarled.

Steadying herself, Sookie forced herself to turn. Claude looked terrible. His hair was dull and his eyes sunken. "Niall and your Father have been looking for you," she said, wishing her voice sounded stronger.

"And you think they will save you?" Claude jeered. His lip curled and Sookie was reminded of Preston Pardloe and how the hotel manager could make her feel as though she smelled bad with a look. "What I want to know," Claude said, stepping toward her, but a little to the side, angling between her and the house, "is why you're still alive." He smiled, the kind of smile you gave to a friend, and Sookie felt her blood chill, "You shouldn't be."

"Eric would never hurt me," Sookie stammered, not sure what Claude was getting at.

"Luck," Claude snarled again. "I thought sending him back to his Maker would allow things to run their course."

"You! You did that?" Sookie huffed.

"Not easy, influencing a witch but, in the end, they are as gullible as humans. It took time to make him my lover and, oh, how his eyes widened when I whispered the tale. He couldn't wait to betray my secret to his coven." Claude glanced away and, for a moment, Sookie thought he looked sad, but then, she was sure she was wrong.

"You should have been alone, defenseless, but those damn merrows!" Sookie remembered the rustling below her house and felt guilty for being irritated. "It should have been finished!" Claude hissed. "Your protector was gone. Damn him, always intervening when he shouldn't. But I should have known. From the first, in Slievemore, he put himself in the way."

"Slievemore? You mean the night I was stabbed?" Sookie asked.

Claude looked startled, then smiled, cocking his head to the side. "You shouldn't have made me jealous. You were so selfish! You could have shared him, but you were greedy. I could see it, you had to have him all to yourself. Breandan never would have connected your death to me. He would have thought you got caught in vampire business and he would have blamed Northman. Gregor owed me. It should have been simple. Stab the hybrid, you bleed, and your scent triggers the rest."

"But Eric saved me," Sookie stammered, thinking of that night at Ghoul's Kiss.

"With his blood," Claude sniffed. "And you stank of it, inside and out. At the very least, Breandan should have set you aside, but he didn't!" Claude hissed, his eyes flashing.

"But we did fight," Sookie pointed out. "It led to a break."

"Which he regretted! He crawled from my bed back to you. You could have let him go, pushed him away, but you had to have him, you fucking bitch!" Sookie watched, horrified, as Claude struggled with his grief but, soon enough, he regained control, and he fixed her with a feral stare.

"I didn't understand who you were to him," Sookie pointed out, trying reason. "Claude, Breandan may have wanted to love me, but he couldn't, not really. In the end, he was yours."

"You'd like me to believe that, wouldn't you? It makes you seem so innocent, but you aren't, are you? No, look at Northman! He couldn't stay away, either. You're like poison!" and Claude cried a tear which left a trail of wrinkled skin in its wake. "I loved him, and you destroyed him!"

"And maybe I could say the same for you!" and Sookie's temper was back. "Was it so much to let Breandan have his moment with me? How many times did I have to hear about my mortality? Would it have mattered so much to let him enjoy something different for my lifetime? What would a few years have really cost you?"

"You bitch!" Claude hissed. "You'd blame me for his fall? It was your fault! You destroyed everything, you worthless cunt! You couldn't even find the grace to die! You just danced around every trap I set! You should have been dead in Boston. You should have died in the street like the whore you are!"

"You? How did you…" Sookie still had no memory of the car that hit her, but she remembered waking in the hospital. "I would have died, but Eric saved me. And Grandfather, he came. I almost…"

"But you didn't!" and Claude stepped a little closer. "That's when I knew Northman had to go."

"Were you involved with the takeover?" Sookie asked.

"No," and Claude laughed. "No, that was vampire politics. Of course, the ill wish might have helped," and Claude looked triumphant. "It was fun, watching you stumble and take damage. You were so blind to what was happening. It was closing in on you, accident by accident." Claude's head cocked to the side and he stepped toward her, causing her to step back. "It was just gathering speed, finding the right circumstance to finish you, each pratfall a little more dangerous…"

"But, Grandfather found it. He removed it," Sookie interrupted. She was tired of being afraid and the thought that Claude had dogged her this way was ratcheting up her anger. She felt the gathering of magic in her chest, and she couldn't keep the smile from her lips. "Well, this was fun, Claude, walking down memory lane and all, but we both know that's behind us. You aren't going to hurt me anymore. There's no reason left for this and every reason to never see each other again." Sookie glanced out at the sea, "You want Breandan? He's out there. I'm not pursuing him. As you've pointed out, I have my husband back and Eric is all I need. If you want to join your great love, I think you know how to do that, but when it comes to me and mine? I think you'd better take your bruised feelings and leave well enough alone." She was surprised how calm her voice sounded, how strong she felt.

"You don't order me!" Claude was screaming.

"You don't know what you're getting into," Sookie told him, confident in the gathering she felt within her. The wind might be blowing, but where she was standing, it was calm. Somewhere, far away, Sookie could hear ravens calling as they took wing to join her.

"You think I don't know you have magic?" Claude hissed. "You're not as clever as you think!" He held up a bottle, "Do you know what this is, Sookie? It's demon's blood!"

It gave Sookie pause. She remembered Mr. Cataliades holding her hands and how his touch deadened her abilities. "Where did you get that?" she asked.

"I think your fat attorney is still alive," Claude laughed. "I didn't drain him, not entirely, but I wanted to make sure I had enough." Thumbing the cork from the bottle, he drank, and barely bothering to wipe his mouth, advanced on her. "I'm done being social," he hissed, and he lay his hands on Sookie. Immediately, the gathering power in her chest was gone as if a great blanket had been thrown over her. "Time to die!" he laughed.

Claude hadn't counted on the power of vampire blood. Sookie's knee snapped up with unexpected speed, catching the Fae close enough to cause him to groan. When he leaned forward, Sookie head-butted him so hard her ears rang. Claude crumpled and Sookie started running as fast as her rubber boots would allow. When her feet kept slipping, she stopped, kicking the boots off, then ran again, the wet sand freezing against her bare skin. ' _Transport! Transport!_ ' she thought, but she was too panicked to focus, and then he was on her.

Sookie fell forward, hitting the sand with enough force to knock the wind from her. Her mouth and eyes were full of sand and her nose blossomed with pain. "You thought you could best me?" Claude hissed in her ear. "I could have killed you any time, but now I want the pleasure of doing it with my own hands!" He wound his hand in her hair, dragging her toward the water.

Sookie was trying to bat him away, but the pain in her head had her stumbling and swerving toward the water's edge. "So easy!" he sniffed. "But, you're right, I've spent enough time playing. Time to move on." The sand had blinded her, but she felt the cold of the water well enough. He was pulling her through the waves, deeper, and then he twisted, throwing her off balance. She fell and his hand closed around her throat, holding her under the waves.

Sookie struggled, his hands clawing at him. Her feet scrambled for purchase and ignoring the grip Claude had on her hair, Sookie surged up. She was pretty sure she connected with his nose. There was a distinct crunching sound and his hands fell away from her. She tried to get her legs to work, but she couldn't. Her lungs were burning, wasting precious seconds pulling in oxygen. "Move!" she croaked, trying to order herself, but her body was in open rebellion. ' _Then think!_ ' her inner voice said instead, but he was back on her, knocking her down, both hands around her neck, squeezing as he held her under. ' _Think!'_ her voice called, but the blackness was closing in around her and Sookie knew she was running out of time.

And Claude was gone. It was as though the water around her became alive. Sookie felt something like a great wave rush past her, rolling her to her knees. Her lungs were on fire and her stomach clenched, leaving her helplessly retching seawater. Her vision had become a tunnel, black nipping around the edges. She could see Claude in front of her on the beach. His hand raised and she saw the flash of a knife. His arm was rising and falling, over and over, and Sookie found her legs again. She managed to stand, and then stagger, heading for the house.

The wind had risen and her blood pounded in her ears, but Sookie could still hear the keening scream behind her. ' _Claude_ ,' her voice informed her. The sound stabbed through her heart and she knew if her cousin caught her again, there would be no second chance. ' _Faster!_ ' her voice scolded, but her legs were failing. She knew she couldn't run fast or far enough. ' _Octavia!_ ' her voice was chanting, ' _Remember!_ '

Sookie's lessons with the witch had taught her how to taste the magic of others, to understand it. When Sookie succeeded, she was able to set the magic aimed at her aside; when Sookie was really good she was able to turn any magic against its user. She thought of the magic Mr. Cataliades had used on her, and the feeling she had from Claude. She dissected it, concentrating. She was still thinking of it when Claude caught her again and, in that moment, she knew she had found how to locate the edges of the spell. Sookie hoped the potency of the demon blood might be wearing off and maybe it was, because as she focused, she could see the borders of if, hovering around Claude, visible now that she was really looking. It calmed her, finding that edge, and a large raven chose that moment to land next to her head. He was close enough she could have touched him, and he hopped even closer on the sand, fixing her with his beady eye.

"Now, I've got you!" Claude wailed as his fingers dug into her. He was crying, and his face was revealed, immeasurably old, almost alien.

"You're wrong," Sookie told him as she turned the edges of Claude's magic, turning it on him and turning it into unbreakable bonds. "I've got you!" She was rising, the air carrying her as it had after killing Appius, her power flowing in and through her. She knew she was damaged, but Sookie didn't feel the pain anymore. Claude seemed so much smaller and Sookie smiled as she formed her white column in the air above them.

"How?" Claude cried. His arms were locked to his sides. His eyes were popping and his fear had started to bloom, further feeding Sookie's happiness.

There were more ravens now. They fluttered, landing on the sand, and talking in their language. ' _Take him, Mother,_ ' they called to her.

"Soon," Sookie answered, "Patience, my children."

"Sookie." It was a different voice, not Claude, and not the ravens. It came as though from a great distance and Sookie turned her head. It was Niall. He and Dillon were standing on the sand. "Sookie, you need to let him go," Niall said. It was a silly thing for her Grandfather to say and Sookie lifted her head to laugh. He looked worried. He was standing between her and the ocean and Sookie spent a moment looking at him before turning her attention to Dillon. It was something she saw on Dillon's face that gave her pause. It reminded her of her Mother's grief when she spoke of Daddy and, for a moment, her resolve faltered.

And then, the moment was gone. "Let me go!" Claude struggled. He wiggled and wriggled, calling her names and cursing her, but Sookie knew he no longer had any power over her and she glanced up, building her column, adding to its intensity.

"Sookie!" Niall's voice was more insistent. He was trying to command her, but she'd found her power. No glamour could change what would happen, not now. Sookie called the clouds to fly over the sun so the threads of color within her column could be seen more clearly. All around them, the landscape faded, the shadows of clouds painting everything around them in shades of gray. Grandfather's voice had faded into a background and Sookie looked out to sea.

The seals were there, but they weren't watching her. They were heading away from her, swimming and diving in great numbers. Sookie found herself drawn to the sight and she watched to see where they went.

It wasn't far, only yards away. There was a man lying on the beach, his long hair washing in the waves, and Sookie felt her chest tighten. She must have made a sound. "Breandan!" she whispered, and her heart contracted as she realized what she was seeing.

She turned to Claude. "You killed him. You said you loved him, and yet you destroyed him?"

Claude had stopped struggling. He just stood still, tears running down his face. "Just do it," he told her. Sookie's hand raised and the column above her grew, the sound of it louder than the waves against the sand.

"No!" Niall was calling, and Dillon was, too. It didn't matter. After this, Claude wouldn't hurt anyone anymore, so Sookie advanced. The walls of air around them made sure no one would interfere, and it struck Sookie how intimate this moment was. It was just her and Claude. She would bring them together within the swirl of her light and then, it would just be her.

"Sookie!" This call was different. It stopped her and that interference made her frown. "Sookie, look at me!"

It was day. It made no sense, but Sookie knew that voice above all others. She stopped and turned her head. He was standing outside on their house deck. He was staring at her, commanding her to listen. "Eric?"

"A life for a life," he told her. The clouds overhead continued to gather, and the wind buffeted him, but Eric was there, standing naked in the light.

"Go inside!" Sookie called. "You'll burn!"

"Tell them!" Eric insisted. "Trade them! A life for a life!" He stared at Dillon and Niall, and Sookie did, too.

Her inner voice was urging her on, begging her to finish this, but Sookie resisted. Her husband was trying to tell her something and she trusted him. She loved him, and it was stronger than the urge to kill.

"Great Morrigan!" Dillon said, calling her a name Sookie now knew was her own, "I will give you that gift, endless life, if you return my son to me. A life for a life!"

Eric was closer now. He couldn't cross the barrier she'd made, but she could see him clearly. "Come, Älskade . Let Claude go. His Father will make sure his son doesn't get into any more mischief."

"He killed Breandan!" Sookie pointed out.

"And look at what that act has cost him, Lover!" Eric ordered. "Look at Claude, Sookie. See what he has become," and Sookie did.

Claude's face was hollowed, his eyes sunken. His teeth were pointed and the beauty was drained from his face. Now that Eric ordered it, all Sookie could see was her cousin's grief and it thawed some part of her heart. Sookie found herself looking back down the beach, searching for Breandan, that beautiful man who had played fiddle and loved her with long fingers, but in the way of their people, he was already gone.

"Claude will live with his grief forever, Sookie. I think that's a better punishment, don't you?" Eric was being reasonable, and he reached out, only to strike his hand against the wall she'd built. "Come, Sookie. Come back to bed. Let the Seelie have him."

"You shouldn't be out here," Sookie stammered.

"Release him and we can both go inside," Eric reasoned.

It was hard, letting the power go without feeding it what it wished. It fought and clawed, screaming for its sacrifice, but Sookie felt Eric calling for her. She knew he was right, and piece by piece the column flew apart, disappearing into the sky. The ravens croaked, and as the last of the column faded, they took wing, one after another, lifting heavily into the sky, flying inland and away.

Claude collapsed, gasping to the sand and Sookie found some satisfaction in watching him fight for breath. Eric walked forward and slowly, carefully, wrapped her in his arms. Niall stepped forward, too, laying his hand on her back, the sweetness of his touch sweeping away the cold, sourness that dismissing her magic left curdling in her stomach.

"A life for a life," Eric said again.

"It is the bargain," Niall nodded, and then turning to Dillon, said, "This is your bargain, my son, and your gift to give."

Eric had turned, placing himself between her and Claude. "Take him," he commanded, before wrapping his arm around her, pulling her toward home. "Come, wife," he whispered. "All will be well now, but you are tired and soon, even you won't be able to hide the sun. I need to return to our chamber and I need to feel your warmth around me before I can find my rest."

"Don't worry," Sookie assured him. "Not one drop of sunshine will touch you!" and she looked up, willing the clouds to remain until they were well inside.

She didn't feel it, the gift of the Fae. She was wrapped in her vampire's arms, following him into dreamless sleep, but when she woke, Sookie knew she had gained her immortality.

 **xxxXXXxxx**

There's a saying that in all fairy tales there is some nugget of truth. Do fairies still dance on the hilltops under the full moon and is there a place where vampires roam the shadows? For anyone married to their science and logic, it may seem the faces of those around them are all the same, but for those willing to look just below the surface, they will find the magic that lingers still.

That is the feeling many have had after their stay at the little B&B nestled beside the ocean. They come and spend just one night, breaking their long walk along the western coast of Ireland. Their hostess is kind and the breakfasts are always good. Reviews consistently mention the happiness of the house and how nights there seem enchanted.

But that is how any house feels when those who live there love.

 **Author's Note** : Thank you, again for joining me in this fairy tale. I will be taking a short holiday before starting release of **Final Circle** , a sequel to **Turnings**. Figure it will start around May 1st (Beltane), which is as it should be. My best to you in this time of turning seasons. Natsgirl.


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